Genetic CJD is so rare that I find it more implausible that two close by friends both had genetic CJD.
Was it from mad cow? That's more likely, and I can't imagine the CDC not going in and testing everything they can every time a case of CJD is found. We're extremely protective of our cattle here and keeping BSE out. Try importing beef from England.
Did CWD make the jump. It's also plausible. With the past history of prion diseases, you should expect it to eventually happen. Although this study posted earlier is really good news on that front. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4012792/
The thing I find odd about the study is that there's no mention of testing of the meat afterwards. If there was someone confirmed with CJD in a CWD area, you go take all the deer and beef in their freezer and test it. It wouldn't provide conclusive evidence, it'd be a really important thing to see to add to long term study. Also you watch their family members from here on out for signs. It's likely at the least their significant other also ate the same food.
In the near term, I'm more concerned about exposure to cattle and it decimating our beef industry if it took off in cattle. There's studies on that and it appears to have a fairly low, but not 0 transmission rate orally.
Was it from mad cow? That's more likely, and I can't imagine the CDC not going in and testing everything they can every time a case of CJD is found. We're extremely protective of our cattle here and keeping BSE out. Try importing beef from England.
Did CWD make the jump. It's also plausible. With the past history of prion diseases, you should expect it to eventually happen. Although this study posted earlier is really good news on that front. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4012792/
The thing I find odd about the study is that there's no mention of testing of the meat afterwards. If there was someone confirmed with CJD in a CWD area, you go take all the deer and beef in their freezer and test it. It wouldn't provide conclusive evidence, it'd be a really important thing to see to add to long term study. Also you watch their family members from here on out for signs. It's likely at the least their significant other also ate the same food.
In the near term, I'm more concerned about exposure to cattle and it decimating our beef industry if it took off in cattle. There's studies on that and it appears to have a fairly low, but not 0 transmission rate orally.
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