Everyone Healthy Library
Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
Condition / disease reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
Connected health information
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Condition overview
Attributes
Commonalityis rare
Incidenceis approximately 1 in 1,000,000 people
Linked signs and symptoms
15Each sign/symptom opens its own page and links back to related conditions.
- Balance Impaired
- Eye: Vision Impairment
- Insomnia
- Involuntary Trembling Or Quivering (Tremor)
- Memory Loss: Forgetfulness
- Mind: Anxiety
- Mind: Confusion
- Mind: Dementia
- Mind: Depression
- Mind: Hallucination
- Mind: Impaired Cognition
- Movement Disorder
- Movement: Muscle Coordination Loss (Ataxia)
- Seizures
- Speech Articulation Problem (Dysarthria)
Linked drugs / medications
0No linked drugs are listed yet.
Treatments, therapies and supportive options
0Grouped by treatment type. These are educational database links, not personal treatment recommendations. Evidence labels are shown only where stored in the EH database.
No linked treatment or supportive options are listed yet.
Linked diagnostic tests and investigations
14These are pulled from both EH diagnostic-test link tables, including the older large test-link table.
- Biopsy of Brain Tissues
- Biopsy of Tonsils
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis For 14-3-3 Protein
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactic Acid Concentration (L-Lactate)
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI)
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Lymph Node Biopsy
- magnetic Resonance Angiogram (MRA)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Prostate Biopsy
- Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Test
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Ultrasound
Biological and test markers
1This visual map uses existing EH database links to show biological agents and lab markers reported as increased, decreased, or associated with this condition. These are educational relationships only; test results must be interpreted by a qualified clinician because ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and clinical context.
Often decreased
0No markers in this group.
Other associated markers
0No markers in this group.
Introduction / full article
Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease (CJD) is a serious and degenerative brain disease wherein patients manifest memory problems, personality changes and involuntary muscle jerks. The symptoms develop rapidly with the majority of patients dying within a year. [1]
Epidemiology
The disease affects one person per one million people globally. There are around 200 reported cases every year in the U.S. Average age of onset is 60 years old. [2]
Causes
CJD is broadly classified into three. In the sporadic type, the disease is present even without any risk factors. This is the most common type and it has been estimated that 85 percent of the cases belong to this type. The second type is the hereditary CJD and as the name implies, the patient has a family member who had the same disease or had a positive test for a genetic mutation linked with CJD. The third one is called acquired CJD which is the rarest one and is obtained via contact with infected tissue often during a medical procedure. Cattles may acquire a CJD associated ailment called mad cow disease. There had been speculations that humans can get a variant of CJD after ingestion of an infected meat however there is still no solid evidence to support such claim. [1][2]
Signs and Symptoms
At the onset, patients experience problems with muscle coordination, behavioral changes, memory impairment and problems with vision. Some may have insomnia and bizarre sensations. At the latter part, the patient may develop involuntary muscle jerks, severe mental impairment, paralysis and blindness. Some develop infections and some go into coma. [2]
Diagnosis
At present, there is no single diagnostic test available. It is important to rule out treatable diseases that may mimic CJD such as encephalitis and meningitis. Neurologic examinations are typically done. Laboratory tests that may be performed include spinal tap, electroencephalogram (EEG), CT scan and MRI of the brain. The only confirmatory method is brain biopsy or autopsy. [2]
Treatment
There is currently no cure for the disease. The objective is to alleviate symptoms such as by giving opiate drugs for pain and sodium valproate for the muscle jerks. Social support and providing the patient a safe environment are indispensable. Family counseling may help the family cope up with the changes brought about by the disease. [1][2]
References:
1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/creutzfeldtjakobdisease.html
2. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cjd/detail_cjd.htm