What is the difference between BSE, sporadic CJD and vCJD?
BSE, sporadic CJD and vCJD are all Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) which are a class of rare brain diseases, some of which affect humans while others affect animals. All TSEs are associated with the accumulation of abnormal prion proteins in the brain. While BSE is found only in cattle, sporadic CJD and vCJD are found in humans. Sporadic CJD and vCJD are distinctly separate brain diseases, each with its own unique clinical and histopathological features. Sporadic CJD was first identified in the 1920s and has a worldwide incidence of approximately one case per million people each year. Variant CJD was first documented in the United Kingdom in 1996 and, as of March 2004, reports indicate there are 156 definite and probable cases worldwide, with 146 of those in the U.K. No indigenous cases of vCJD have been detected in the United States. There are many unknowns about vCJD, including method and amount of exposure, route of transmission and incubation period. Significant st
