1. variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD). By Georgie Hill 10 Science 2 CJD Bacteria.

2. 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.

3. 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”.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. Bibliography http://www.emedicinehealth.com/mad_cow _disease_and_variant_creutzfeldt- jakob_dis/article_em.htmhttp://www.emedicinehealth.com/mad_cow _disease_and_variant_creutzfeldt- jakob_dis/article_em.htm http://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro/IEntry?ac=IP R000817http://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro/IEntry?ac=IP R000817 http://creativegumbo.net/cjdvoice/facts.htm http://www.evilmamacow.org/vcjd.php http://www.accessexcellence.org/WN/NM/ madcow96.phphttp://www.accessexcellence.org/WN/NM/ madcow96.php

12. Bibliography (cont.) http://www.bsereview.org.uk/bse/cause- bse.htmhttp://www.bsereview.org.uk/bse/cause- bse.htm http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/mad_cow_ disease.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/mad_cow_ disease.html http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesa ndconditions/f/FAQ_madcow2.htmhttp://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesa ndconditions/f/FAQ_madcow2.htm