The prospect of the human form of mad cow disease, variant CJD, becoming an epidemic evolving over decades cannot be ruled out, according to a medical expert.
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Scientists fear the human form of mad cow diesease, variant CJD, could become an epidemic
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A team of scientists based at Imperial College, London, has uncovered data which has given experts a greater understanding of the potential risks posed by variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease.
The research has revealed that those patients so far seen with vCJD may be genetically disposed to have the shortest "incubation" periods.
Scientists believe that there may be differing degrees of vulnerability to prion diseases like vCJD in those who have the genetic type susceptible to the killer condition.
The first cases of vCJD were detected in March, 1996, and health experts concluded that the most likely origin of the disease was due to eating BSE-infected cattle.
Professor John Collinge, director of the British Medical Research Council Prion Unit, led the research which confirms that a number of genes are involved in susceptibility to prion disease in mice.
Mouse and human genomes are similar, leading researchers to believe that the genes in humans will behave in the same way as the corresponding mouse genomes.
Professor Collinge said: "Three genetic types referred to as MM, VV and MV are seen in the population.
"All those who have so far developed vCJD were from the MM genotype but we expected to find other genes that would influence susceptibility."
He added: "Prion diseases develop over a quite different time-scale and we cannot rule out an epidemic that evolves over decades. "
PA