Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), commonly referred to as "mad cow disease" or "human mad cow disease" to distinguish it from its BSE counterpart, is a fatal type of brain disease within the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy family. Initial symptoms include psychiatric problems, behavioral changes, and painful sensations. In the later stages of the illness, patients may exhibit poor coordination, dementia and involuntary movements. The length of time between exposure and the development of symptoms is unclear, but is believed to be years to decades. Average life expectancy following the onset of symptoms is 13 months.It is caused by prions, which are misfolded proteins. Spread is believed to be primarily due to eating bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-infected beef. Infection is also believed to require a specific genetic susceptibility. Spread may potentially also occur via blood products or contaminated surgical equipment. Diagnosis is by brain biopsy but can be suspected based on certain other criteria. It is different from typical Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, though both are due to prions.Treatment for vCJD involves supportive care. As of 2020, 178 cases of vCJD have been recorded in the United Kingdom, due to a 1990s outbreak, and 50 cases in the rest of the world. The disease has become less common since 2000. The typical age of onset is less than 30 years old. It was first identified in 1996 by the National CJD Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland. Signs and symptoms
Initial symptoms include psychiatric problems, behavioral changes, and painful sensations.
Dents disease (or Dent disease) is a rare X-linked recessive inherited condition that affects the proximal renal tubules of the kidney. It is one cause of Fanconi syndrome, and is characterized by tubular proteinuria, excess calcium in the urine, formation of calcium kidney stones, nephrocalcinosis, and chronic kidney failure. "Dents disease" is often used to describe an entire group of familial disorders, including X-linked recessive nephrolithiasis with kidney failure, X-linked recessive hypophosphatemic rickets, and both Japanese and idiopathic low-molecular-weight proteinuria. About 60% of patients have mutations in the CLCN5 gene (Dent 1), which encodes a kidney-specific chloride/proton antiporter, and 15% of patients have mutations in the OCRL1 gene (Dent 2). Signs and symptoms
Dents disease often produces the following signs and symptoms:
Extreme thirst combined with dehydration, which leads to frequent urination
Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones)
Hypercalciuria (high urine calcium - >300 mg/d or >4 mg/kg per d with normal levels blood/serum calcium)
Aminoaciduria (amino acids in urine)
Phosphaturia (phosphate in urine)
Glycosuria (glucose in urine)
Kaliuresis (potassium in urine)
Hyperuricosuria (excessive amounts of uric acid in the urine)
Impaired urinary acidification
RicketsIn a study of 25 patients with Dents disease, 9 of 15 men, and one of 10 women had end-stage kidney disease by the age of 47. Genetics
Dent disease 1
Dents disease is a X-linked recessive disorder.