variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

pathology

Also known as: new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, nvCJD, vCJD(Show More)

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July 16, 2026

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Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is a rare, fatal prion disease. It is a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and is believed to be contracted by consuming infected beef or beef products, specifically linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease.1

Prions are abnormal proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases by accumulating in nerve cells and causing them to break down, leading to a spongelike pattern in brain tissue. vCJD was first described in 1996. There is no known cure for vCJD, and treatment focuses on supportive care to manage pain and discomfort.231

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bovine spongiform encephalopathy
…form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD) took the lives of dozens of people in Europe. In experiments with mice, researchers found that prions from human cases of nvCJD caused a disease pattern similar to that caused by prions from cows with BSE. The result suggested that the human infection is…
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…form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD) took the lives of dozens of people in Europe. In experiments with mice, researchers found that prions from human cases of nvCJD caused a disease pattern similar to that caused by prions from cows with BSE. The result suggested that the human infection is…
Read More

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Transmission
…form of CJD (vCJD, or nvCJD). There is increasing evidence that these cases resulted from the consumption of tissues (notably nerve tissue) contaminated with the prion that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease.
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…form of CJD (vCJD, or nvCJD). There is increasing evidence that these cases resulted from the consumption of tissues (notably nerve tissue) contaminated with the prion that causes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease.
Read More