In yesterdays Daily Mail Good Health section there was a doube page article about Human Mad Cows Disease. It also focused on Holly Mills aged 26 years who first showed the symptons of this lethal disease at 16 years of age, fatigue, fainting, "Holly is one of three people with CJD and is being kept alive after her family battled through the courts to get the drug 'Pentosan Polysulphate, this is injected into the brain to prevent the final stages of the disease.
This articles also highlights that as many as 1 in 1,000 people could be infected, this is based on findings which receive little publicity, it also mentions that CJD might be more prevelant in older people, this may explain why older people are offered a CT brain if they are suffering memory problems or dementia.
John Collinge, a professor of neurology and a leading expert at the Government's CJD research unit at Universiy College, London has developed a simple blood test which can check if the disease is present by detecting evidence of the so-called prions or infectious proteins known to cause the disease.
So far there is little official interest in investing the several million pounds needed to turn the blood test into the high speed screening tool needed to bring into routine use. Critics say this is because the Government fears what it might find.
New data from the Health Protection Agency suggests the rate of infection is much higher than currently thought.
Contrary to popular belief, BSE had not been wiped out. In fact, 11 cattle were diagnosed with it in Britain last year, although none entered the food chain.
Normal sterilising techniquesdo not remove the abnormal proteins which cause CJD from surgical or dental instruments because they survive high temperatures.
There have been at least 6 transmissions from hospital operations and 4 cases of CJD infections passed from 3 different blood donors. All those infected in these ways have died."
All of the above information is just part of the article from yesterdays Daily Mail, on November 12th 2011 there will be a memorial held in London to remember the innocent victims who have died.
If only our government would introduce the latest simple blood test on every individual we could stop the spread of this lethal disease.