Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease forces chef to become full-time caregiver for wife

In Gaspar, Santa Catarina, chef Luis da Silva Filho, 61, has left his profession to provide 24-hour care for his wife, Rose Carvalho, 59, following her diagnosis with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

Rose’s condition progressed rapidly in 2024. After initially experiencing dizziness, memory loss, and tremors, she lost her ability to speak and move within three months. She is currently bedridden, relies on a feeding tube, and requires a tracheostomy for breathing.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare, progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative prion disease that causes rapid degeneration of the nervous system. The condition is characterized by spongiform changes in the brain caused by infectious proteins known as prions.