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Types of CJD

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) struck the media headlines as mad cow disease, but it is actually a group of four different diseases that have four different causes. CJD is a neurological illness that causes swelling of the brain among other symptoms. It is caused by the accumulation of an abnormal protein called a prion that wrecks havoc on the body of the diseased person. Studies on how the prion works and destroys the host are inconclusive. All four types are caused by this protein, though, and it causes death in all four cases.

  1. Sporadic CJD

    • This is the most common form of CJD and accounts for 85 percent of all the cases of the disease. According to the Brain and Spine Foundation, this type effects one in one million people in the United Kingdom every year. It is very rare when compared to other diseases that affect the brain. As of now, the cause of this type of CJD is unknown. It typically strikes those who are middle aged or older. It is rare for this type of CJD to afflict the young.

    Genetic CJD

    • People who have genetic CJD inherit the disease from their parents. Usually, they will know that they may have the disease because people in their family have died from it as well. However, the mutation has happened without warning. The gene is dominant, meaning that it only takes one CJD gene for the person to have the disease. This form of CJD is also very rare and not many cases are reported each year from this type.

    Iatrogenic CJD

    • Iatrogenic CJD is when the disease is acquired through medical or surgical practices. According to the Brain and Spine Foundation, cases of iatrogenic CJD were caused by human growth hormone harvested from the pituitary glands of infected corpses between 1958 and 1985. Now, however, the hormone is produced synthetically. It is also possible to get the disease from dura matter material that may be used in surgery or any other cross contamination with brain tissue. These are all rare cases, though. Most surgical procedures now take precautions against CJD contamination.

    Variant CJD

    • Variant CJD is the type of this disease that is believed to have crossed from cows to humans. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is the disease's form in cattle. It is believed that the disease has crossed over to humans via the diet, although there are still studies being conducted to prove this. According to the Brain and Spine Foundation, it could take up to 30 years for the signs of the disease to appear after eating meat infected by CJD.

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