Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

of neurologic function that leads to death within
two years after symptoms appear.

Risk Factors and Preventive Measures

Because the transmission of prion infections
remains uncertain, the United States and many
countries in Europe have imposed strict guidelines
for tissue and blood donation. Health experts dis-
agree as to whether there is a risk for acquiring

CJD through donated blood and blood products,

though the risk has been well established for cer-

tain kinds of tissues and extracted substances.

Many countries now have strict regulations for

the raising and slaughtering of cattle, as well as

testing for the presence of BSE. These regulations

are constantly evolving.

See also COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND DYSFUNCTION;

FOOD SAFETY.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) 249