Overview

• Edoardo Righetto, 61, died on 12 August at the Padua hospital three days after a respiratory crisis on 9 August.
• Preliminary analyses included a nasal swab and cerebrospinal fluid tests performed in Verona by Professor Gianluigi Zanusso, and an autopsy was conducted in Vicenza.
• Authorities must determine whether the illness was variant Creutzfeldt‑Jakob linked to BSE, a genetic form, or a rarer iatrogenic origin following neuropathological examination and ISS assessment.
• Symptoms began about a year earlier with foot pain and motor issues, progressed to memory lapses and right‑side control problems, and a prion encephalopathy diagnosis was made in July with a prognosis of up to two months.
• Funeral rites are planned for Tuesday 26 August at the Santa Maria Assunta parish church in Rubano, subject to any changes required by ongoing tests.