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What Do You Know About Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease?

Thirty years ago, few people had heard of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Today, it has made the news mostly from its possible link to "mad cow disease." To help make sense of this puzzling disease, take this quiz, based on information from the CDC and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

1. CJD is a rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder.
2. CJD usually appears in childhood.
3. A failing memory and lack of coordination are early symptoms of classic CJD.
4. Radiation exposure causes CJD.
5. CJD can be passed on through sexual contact.
6. A biopsy is the only way to confirm a diagnosis of CJD.
7. CJD can be treated with antiviral medicine.
8. CJD is the same disease as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as "mad cow disease."
9. Childhood vaccines given for other illnesses may pose a risk for contracting the new variant CJD.

Medical Reviewers:

  • Campellone, Joseph, MD
  • Fetterman, Anne, RN, BSN
  • Turley, Raymond Kent, BSN, MSN, RN