There is a vCJD patient currently dying in Virginia.

This is very sad news indeed and my heart goes out to the patient's family and friends during this difficult time. The disease is suspected to have been contracted while the patient lived in Saudi Arabia. Read the details here.

Good job to the folks in Virgina for keeping it out of the media thus far, because we all know the media doesn't understand this disease, doesn't ask the right questions, doesn't give the public a fair shake and doesn't give enough time or space to stories about CJD. (I say this mostly thinking of broadcast news, which is worthless where BSE and public health are concerned. Print folks, comsider yourselves excluded).

My only hope is that the latest science is available to this family should they choose to use it, whether that's pentosan polysulphate or not. A case of vCJD (or any CJD) in a young person is horrific at best. As we're still fumbling to find our way through this disease, its triggers and someday a possible clinical diagnosis and cure, my only hope is that we use each case as a learning experience. My hope is that something will be learned from this latest case. Because the breakthrough is coming; we can never give up hope.

I say this knowing full well what my own chances are, so yes, that's my E200K biased opinion.