Human mad cow disease, there are many different forms of it

Main Category: CJD / vCJD / Mad Cow Disease
Article Date: 12 Nov 2004 - 14:00 PDT


Depending on your genetic makeup, vCJD (Varian Mad Cow Disease) will manifest itself differently, say researchers. This means vCJD may be present in some areas without being detected (vCJD means the human form of mad cow disease).

Scientists exposed mice to the mutant prion proteing that causes the human form of mad cow disease. They noticed that mice with a certain version of a human gene develop the disease differently.

This raises concern that many cases of vCJD are going undetected. This could also be the reason some people are resistant.

Tissue samples, say the scientists, do not all look the same - different patients with vCJD have tissue samples which, when observed under the microscope, lead people to think they have different diseases.

UK authorities say some British people have caught vCJD from eating products from animals infected with mad cow disease (CJD).

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