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WHAT IS CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE?

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative brain disorder.

It is caused by abnormal proteins known as prions.

Prions are normally harmless but, when misshapen, they become infectious and create lesions, 

Sufferers contract CJD by coming into contact with tissue that has been infected, such as eating contaminated meat. 

About one in a million people worldwide become infected, with just 350 annual cases occurring in the US. 

Symptoms, which worsen rapidly over time, include:

  • Loss of intellect and memory 
  • Personality changes
  • Loss of balance and coordination
  • Slurred speech
  • Vision problems and blindness
  • Abnormal jerky movements
  • Loss of mobility

Most sufferers die within a year of symptom onset, usually due to an infection caused by immobility.   

There is no cure.

Treatment focuses of relieving symptoms and making sufferers comfortable via painkillers and antidepressants.

Source: CDC

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