How long does it take to hand-milk a cow?

How long it will take to die after contracting vCJD, or the human form of mad cow disease?

• In every way imaginable, the human form of mad cow disease inevitably seems to kill human beings as well as animals. How long it will take to die after contracting the disease (vCJD) even without considering incubating period?

• Answer:

  First of all, the variant form of CJD (vCJD you mentioned) should not be confused with the classic form of CJD. There are several important differences between these two forms of the disease. The median age at death of patients with classic CJD in the United States, for example, is 68 years, and very few cases occur in persons under 30 years of age. In contrast, the median age at death of patients with vCJD in the United Kingdom is 28 years. The incubation period for vCJD is currently unknown because it is a new disease. However, it is likely that ultimately this incubation period will be measured in terms of many years or decades. To answer your "how long it will take to die, without considering incubation period": Out of 3 people who were ever been diagnosed with vCJD in the US, 1 died 3 years after the onset of symptoms (considered as the end of incubation period), the other died in approx 4. months, unknown for the remaining patient.