Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Disease class: Prion diseases

Also known as

• CJD

 

Pathophysiology 

A disease called Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) can arise in populations of cows. This is a rare type of infection: a prion disease.

Human consumers may ingest meat contaminated by these prions. This can result in a disease known as CJD.

Once the prions enter the body, they circulate to the brain. The prions spread through the brain by converting healthy protein into prions. This causes exponential irreversible destruction.

 

Symptoms

• Rapidly progressing dementia

 

Epidemiology

• Patients of any age may be diagnosed with CJD.
• Public health agencies and food standard agencies have a responsiblity to track and control potential outbreaks of this disease.