Acquired Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Definition

A group of human prion diseases characterized by progressive, invariably fatal neurodegeneration resulting from accidental transmission of prions. The group comprises iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), which results from transmission of CJD prions in the course of medical procedures or treatments, and variant CJD (transmission via consumption of products from prion-diseased cows or via blood transfusion from an affected individual).