Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

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Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), formerly known as new variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (nvCJD) and referred to colloquially as "Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease", "mad cow disease" or "human mad cow disease" (to distinguish it from its BSE counterpart), is a fatal type of brain disease within the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy family. Initial symptoms include psychiatric problems, behavioral changes, and painful sensations. In the later stages of the illness, patients may exhibit poor coordination, dementia and involuntary movements. The length of time between exposure and the development of symptoms is unclear, but is believed to be years to decades. Average life expectancy following the onset of symptoms is 13 months. It is caused by prions, which are misfolded proteins. Spread is believed to be primarily due to eating beef infected with BSE. Infection is also believed to require a specific genetic susceptibility. Spread may potentially also occur via blood products or contaminated...

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