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. Average life expectancy following the onset of symptoms is 13 months. Cause
Tainted beef
In the UK, the primary cause of vCJD has been eating beef tainted with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. A 2012 study by the Health Protection Agency showed that around 1 in 2,000 people in the UK show signs of abnormal prion accumulation.Jonathan Quick, instructor of medicine at the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, stated that bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE is the first man-made epidemic, or "Frankenstein" disease, because a human decision to feed meat and bone meal to previously herbivorous cattle (as a source of protein) caused what was previously an animal pathogen to enter into the human food chain, and from there to begin causing humans to contract vCJD. Blood products
As of 2018, evidence suggests that while there may be prions in the blood of individuals with vCJD this is not the case in individuals with sporadic CJD.In 2004, a report showed that vCJD can be transmitted by blood transfusions. The finding alarmed healthcare officials because a large epidemic of the disease could result in the near future. A blood test for vCJD infection is possible but is not yet available for screening blood donations. Significant restrictions exist to protect the blood supply.
They are also ineligible if they have spent a cumulative total of five years or more in the Republic of Ireland since January 1, 1980 through 31 December 2001 or spent a cumulative total of six months or more in Saudi Arabia from January 1, 1980, through December 31, 1996 or if they have had a blood transfusion in the UK, France or Western Europe since 1980.In Poland, anyone having spent cumulatively six months or longer between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996 in the UK, Ireland, or France is permanently barred from donating.In France, anyone having lived or stayed in the United Kingdom a total of over one year between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996 is permanently barred from donating.In the Czech Republic, anyone having spent more than six months in the UK or France between the years 1980 and 1996 or received transfusion in the UK after the year 1980 is not allowed to donate blood.In Finland, anyone having lived or stayed in the British Isles a total of over six months between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1996 is permanently barred from donating. Sperm donation
In the U.S., the FDA has banned import of any donor sperm, motivated by a risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, inhibiting the once popular import of Scandinavian sperm. Despite this, the scientific consensus is that the risk is negligible, as there is no evidence Creutzfeldt–Jakob is sexually transmitted.