Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)

A degenerative and fatal nervous system disorder. Affected individuals can remain asymptomatic for decades after infection and then progress rapidly to dementia, severe loss of coordination and death. We are told by the Blood establishment that the risk of CJD being transmitted through Blood products is 'theoretical.' The infectious agent has (yes, has) been found in Blood products.

Today CJD is, in our opinion, under-researched, under-investigated and extremely under-reported. CJD cases around the world by geographical area show that CJD is more common than generally thought. This disease is feared and avoided by many medical professionals when diagnosed in its advanced stages. It resembles in many ways the infamous Mad Cow Disease or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). There is also concern about Chronic Wasting Disease (New Mad Cow Disease). As in Mad Cow Disease, scientists believe abnormal brain proteins that have undergone a peculiar shape change can cause other brain proteins to do the same causing CJD. Variants are nCJD, vCJD and nvCJD.

Transmission of CJD has been proven from human to human by the transplantation of dura mater, the injection of pituitary-derived human growth hormone, and more rarely by the reuse of EEG electrodes and corneal transplantation. Currently, there is no test for the disease, however, all Blood banking organizations in Europe and US, prohibit Blood donation by individuals who have symptoms or a family history of symptoms. Blood donors are carefully questioned about family history of CJD and surgeries that involved transplanted dura mater. If they answer affirmatively to any of these questions, they are permanently deferred as a donor. There is no possibility of contracting CJD by making a normal Blood donation.

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