variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD).

By Georgie Hill

10 Science 2

CJD Bacteria.

What are the common and scientific names for vCJD?

• Its scientifically known in humans as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) and in cattle it is known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

• vCJD is the human form of Mad Cow Disease.

• BSE is the animal form of Mad Cow Disease.

How is vCJD caused?

• vCJD is caused by a specific protein called Prion. This Prion carries the disease from individual to individual.

• It becomes altered or “misfolded” which causes deterioration of the brain and spinal cord.

A “Mad Cow”.

Is vCJD infectious and how is it transmitted?

• Yes. vCJD is an infectious disease.

• It is transmitted through humans if they eat the meat of an infected cow, particularly the spinal cord or the brain that came from a cow with BSE.

• It is a very serious disease and affects the brain of both animals and humans. A vCJD

sufferers brain.

What are the symptoms of a person who has vCJD?

• The symptoms an infected person develops are changes in their behavior, lack of coordination and the ability to walk straight, memory loss and visual impairment.

• Once the disease has progressed into the middle and later stages mental deterioration becomes very obvious, with unintentional movements, blindness, weakness of limbs and infected persons may even go into a coma.

How is vCJD currently treated?

• There is currently no cure for vCJD.

• Although many drugs have been tried they have been ruled out when trying to cure vCJD.

• Some drugs such as, amantadine, steroids, interferon, acyclovir, antiviral agents and antibiotics have been tried but failed in all practical tests.

Is there an immunisation for vCJD?

• No. There is no immunisation yet that can prevent or stop the advancement of vCJD.

• There have been vaccine’s given to mice to stop them from developing a brain disease which has some similarities to the to the strain found in Cattle.

Is vCJD life threatening?

• Unfortunately the answer is yes for this one. Someone who is diagnosed with vCJD will eventually die as there is no cure at the present time.

• vCJD will usually appear in the later stages of life affecting both men and women between the age of fifty to seventy-five. About 90 percent of people who are diagnosed with the disease die within a year.

CJD is a deadly disease.

Is vCJD a common disease?

• No. vCJD is an extremely rare disease in Australia and the World.

• World wide it is said to affect only one in one million people.

• There are approximately 200 cases reported per year in the U.S, 30 of them being in Canada.

• In Australia around 20 people are diagnosed with the disease each year.

vCJD Bacteria.

Other interesting facts about vCJD.

• vCJD can be hereditary with five to ten percent of cases being inherited from family members.

• The ban on meat imports is being lifted in Australia next month.

• The disease was first diagnosed in 1996 in the United Kingdom.

• There are two different types of CJD, Classic CJD and variant CJD.

• The two differ as variant CJD is a Prion disease which is related to Mad Cow Disease (BSE).

• Classic CJD is not related to BSE.

Bibliography

• http://www.emedicinehealth.com/mad_cow_disease_and_variant_creutzfeldt-jakob_dis/article_em.htm

• http://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro/IEntry?ac=IPR000817

• http://creativegumbo.net/cjdvoice/facts.htm• http://www.evilmamacow.org/vcjd.php • http://www.accessexcellence.org/WN/

NM/madcow96.php

Bibliography (cont.)

• http://www.bsereview.org.uk/bse/cause-bse.htm

• http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/mad_cow_disease.html

• http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/f/FAQ_madcow2.htm