Creutzfeldt-Jakob, the disease that caused the death of the oncologist and director of AstraZeneca’s cancer research and development (R&D), AstraZeneca, Josep Baselga, is a rapidly evolving neurodegenerative disease. This is a degenerative brain disorder that causes dementia and ultimately death.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC), has a case incidence per million people per year and can affect both men and women, usually between the ages of 60 and 70.
A variant of this disease, the so-called mad cow disease, caused a serious public health problem in the late 20th century, when 170 people died in the UK and 50 in the rest of the world after eating sick cattle meat. However, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease has not been linked to contaminated meat products.
What are the causes of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?
It is part of the group of spongiform encephalopathies, which have this name as brain tissue degrades and adopts a sponge-like appearance. It is characterized by a rapid deterioration of brain tissue caused by a prion, a defective protein that spreads as an infection.
The risk of getting this disease is low, as it cannot be transmitted through coughing or sneezing, contact, or sexual intercourse. The 3 ways it can develop are: sporadically, which occurs in most cases and develops for no apparent reason; by inheritance, about 10% of cases has a known hereditary component; and by contamination, which has been developed by a small number of people after having been exposed to infected human tissue during a medical procedure, such as a cornea or skin transplant. A small number of people have also developed the disease after eating contaminated beef.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may be similar to those of other dementia-like brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease. With the difference that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease tends to progress much faster, there is usually a mental deterioration in a few months. As it progresses, the symptoms get worse, and most people go into a coma. The cause of death, which in most cases comes a year later, is usually heart failure, respiratory failure, pneumonia, or other infections. Here are the main symptoms:
– Loss of memory
– Changes in personality
– Difficulty speaking and swallowing
– Insomnia
– Disturbed thinking
– Blurred vision or blindness
– Discoordination
– Sudden, abrupt movements
Can Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s disease be prevented?
There is no known way to prevent sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. However, if you have a family history of neurological diseases, you can talk to a genetics consultant. Hospitals and medical institutions follow strict policies to avoid exposure to contaminated tissue.
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