Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Updated: 2017-06-13

Overview

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may occur spontaneously, be inherited, or be transmitted by contact with infected tissue, such as during a transplant or eating contaminated meat.

Symptoms

The condition causes personality changes, anxiety, depression, and memory loss, usually within a few months. Many people lapse into coma.

Treatments

Because no effective treatment exists, the focus is on alleviating pain and relieving symptoms.