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I'm still not convinced that bovine spongiform encephelopy causes vCJD disease. The "link" is too speculative. The mechanism undefined and the disease is very rare. There have been estimates that as much as 40% of British beef had BSE and yet the cases of vCJD number in the hundreds.

The superficial similarity of symptoms coupled with public gullibility is what fuels this stampede.

'Missing gene increases CJD risk'

Much interesting speculation and research published at BBC online. This article says:

"Investigators studied the genes of people with vCJD People who lack a particular version of a gene involved in immune responses may be three times more likely to suffer new-variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), research suggests.

"If the finding is borne out in larger studies, it could provide scientists with an important clue in their bid to develop therapies for the incurable brain disease. It may also help doctors to identify those people at risk. And it may lead to a more practical way to diagnose the condition."