Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) is a rare and fatal brain disorder caused by abnormal proteins called prions. These prions misfold and trigger other proteins in the brain to do the same, leading to severe neurological damage. Symptoms include psychiatric issues, memory loss, and difficulties with movement and coordination. Most often linked to consuming contaminated beef from cattle affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease), vCJD typically affects younger individuals. There is currently no cure, and the disease progresses rapidly, usually resulting in death within a year or two after symptoms appear.