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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?

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    Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Neurology
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  • CJD Support Group Network

    The CJD Support Group Network (CJDSGN) offers support, information and assistance to all Australians affected by Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or other prion diseases. The CJDSGN … View Profile

    This answers depends on which form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease the question is referring to.

    Sporadic CJD - It is believed to be the result of a spontaneous conformational change in the native prion protein that occurs at random in about 1 to 2 people per million of the population per year.
    Why my loved one? This is the question that all family members ask!

    Genetic CJD - Is an inherited forms of prion diease The form of CJD is caused by a mutation in the prion protein gene that is typically inherited in families in an autosomal dominant fashion, meaning that from generation to generation aprroximately 50% of family members will carry the mutation and develop CJD during their life time if they life long enough.

    Acquired forms of CJD are caused by a tranmission incident that has exposed the patient to contaminated prions.

    • Iatrogenic or medically acquired CJD - exposure to contaminated surgical instruments through an invasive medical procedure or contaminated medical products ie human pituitary hormones of dura mater grafts.
    • Kuru - transmitted through cannibalism.
    • Variant CJD, commonly known as Mad Cow disease is recognised to be caused by the consumption of contaminated BSE beef (No identified cases in Australia).

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