Symptoms progress rapidly and may include confusion, hallucinations, loss of coordination, and behavioral changes.
The disease bears similarities to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or “mad cow disease,” which affects cattle. BSE can, in rare instances, lead to a variant form of CJD in humans. Learn more about mad cow disease in humans here: Verywell Health.
Public Reassurance
HRCHD, in collaboration with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is actively investigating these cases. Trish Elliott, director of HRCHD, stated:
“We’re trying to look at any common risk factors that might link these cases… but it’s pretty hard in some cases to come up with what the real cause is.”
Healthcare providers have been alerted to watch for signs of rapidly progressing dementia, sudden behavioral shifts, and cognitive decline that may resemble Alzheimer’s.
Despite the concerning cluster, HRCHD emphasizes that:
“The risk of getting CJD is extremely low. It does not spread through the air, touch, social contact, or water.”
