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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) On this page The news that a Washington cow was infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) recently caused concern among Oregonians. This is understandable, but the risk, if any, that this poses to human health is extremely small. BSE, widely referred to as "mad cow disease," is transmitted through infective brain or spinal cord tissue. It became rampant among cows in England during the 1980s and 1990s, because they were fed meat and bone meal that was contaminated with brain and spinal cord tissue. It is thought that human beings can contract a disease called "variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease" ("vCJD," see below) if they eat brain or spinal cord tissue from a cow with BSE. For more than a decade, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has had regulations in place that would prevent ground beef from being contaminated with these infected animal parts. This is the first time that BSE has been detected in the United States. USDA reports that muscle meat and dairy products are considered by international standards to be extremely low or no risk for BSE and may be consumed safely. Classical Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal brain disorder, which causes a rapid, progressive dementia and associated neuromuscular disturbances. CJD is usually acquired in one of three ways. The disease can occur sporadically, i.e., without apparent cause; it can be inherited; or it can be transmitted from an infected person through corneal transplants, implantation of electrodes in the brain, dura mater grafts, contaminated surgical instruments, and the injection of human growth hormone derived from cadaveric pituitaries, as well as the injection of human pituitary gonadotrophin. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) differs from classical CJD in some important ways. First of all, classical CJD almost always affects persons older than 60 years of age, while vCJD has been found in persons much younger. Secondly, vCJD often presents with behavioral problems, while classical CJD presents with dementia and movement disorders. Patients with classical CJD have typical findings on electroencephalography (EEG) testing, whereas those with vCJD do not. Finally, vCJD progresses less rapidly (however, both diseases are fatal). Oregon public health officials and doctors specializing in brain diseases have been actively looking for cases of classical CJD and vCJD over the past decade. No cases of vCJD have been found in Oregon. Our fact sheets answer some common questions on Mad Cow disease (PDF 43K) and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (PDF 93K) More info/links Press Releases
CJD and vCJD deaths by year, Oregon 1991—present (PDF 21K) Return to top |
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