Researchers discovered Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease by testing urine samples read more at here www.spinonews.com/index.php/item/1145-researchers-discovered-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-by-testing-urine-samples

Researchers at the medical research council (MRC) in Britain have found that it may be possible to determine whether or not a person has sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (sCJD) by testing their urine for the presence of abnormal prion proteins.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or CJD, is a rare degenerative brain disorder that affects approximately 1 in every 1 million people globally. The illness is characterized by diminished memory, behavioral changes, and hallucinations.

The National Institutes of Health estimates 90 percent of all individuals who contract CJD die within one year. There is no known cure.

Currently, medical professionals screen patients for CJD by using MRI scans, brain biopsies, or taking samples of cerebrospinal fluid. These procedures are only performed when there is already a high likelihood that a patient has the disease, and sadly, Patients typically have just weeks to live by the time their diagnosis is confirmed.

For the study, scientists used blood samples to test the urine of patients with CJD. In total, 162 people were tested, including 91 controls, who did not have the disease. Urine samples from patients with the disease were found to have high levels of prions, infectious agents associated with CJD and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle.

Dr. Graham Jackson from the MRC Prion, said, the disease remains incurable, they contend an improved diagnostic procedure marks significant progress.

This test could be a critical step forward in being able to identify disease sufferers early using a simple test, perhaps at the first signs of being unwell or even as part of routine screening.

By studying the nature of these diseases-specific forms of the prion we hope to be able to improve the reliability and speed of the test to a point where it could one day be routinely used by clinicians including GPs to detect all forms of CJD.