KUWAIT CITY, Oct 2: A new research paper shows a link between some ‘Covid-19’ infections and a case of prion disease, which is a type of rapidly progressive dementia,” according to what was published by the British newspaper The Independent, citing the American Journal of Case Reports.

The case study details what happened to a 62-year-old man who was admitted to a New York hospital, the Mount Sinai Queens Hospital Center, after having difficulty walking and showing signs of rapidly progressive dementia.

The research paper discussed by Al Arabiya.net stated that “Clinically, the patient suffered from a deterioration in neurological function after the (Covid-19) test result was positive upon his arrival to the hospital.”

Eventually, he was diagnosed with prion disease, and his condition raised questions about whether Covid-19 caused the disease.

Researchers say the circumstances provide evidence of a “potential link” between Covid and neurodegenerative conditions.

There are several types of prion diseases, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, and they are extremely rare, as only about 300 cases of the disease are reported in the United States annually.

The most common type in humans is called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Prion diseases occur after the normal prion protein, found on the surface of cells, becomes abnormal.

Ultimately, it forms a mass in the brain and causes damage, which can lead to personality changes, poor memory, and difficulties in movement.

Prion diseases are classified as fatal. Some people may be more susceptible to prion disease, including, for example, people with a family history of the condition, or people who have been infected through contaminated medical equipment. It is known that thoroughly cleaning medical equipment can prevent illness.