We are closer to a CJD blood test

Imagine being able to detect CJD in a person before they are even displaying symptoms of the disease. Imagine being able to do this to someone like me, whose family carries the E200K gene, and being able to detect CJD in my body before I am even falling ill from it. We just may be a short step closer to making this a reality.

Many have told me early detection may be the key to a patient's survival...in the future, of course, provided we have a treatment plan of some kind to rely upon. In my dream world, we would use the blood test to detect CJD in my body and then we would instate treatment to prevent me from dying from it, whatever that treatment may be. I would be able to bypass the horrible symptoms my mother suffered from such as cerebellar ataxia, incontinence, memory loss, vision loss, inability to walk and inability to swallow, just to name a few.

Another wonderful aspect of a blood test for CJD would be the protection this would offer to our blood supply. If this test becomes standard one day, I wouldn't even be able to estimate the lives it would save all over the world.