Barbara Tarbuck, General Hospital alum, passed away at the age of 74 after struggling with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Her daughter Jennifer Lane Connolly made the announcement of her death to the media. While the actress' passing was a sad affair, it puts the rare brain disorder Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the spotlight.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a degenerative disorder that is most common in people who are 60 years old and above. CJD affects about one person in a million. Once it sets in, 90 percent of people affected often die within a year. There are also some individuals who live up to two years from the appearance of the initial symptoms.
Common symptoms of this disease include mental deterioration, failing memory, and changes in behavior. Many medical professionals believe that it is a "slow virus." There are theories that the incubation period can be as long as 50 years. This is considered to be one reason why the disease is more common in senior patients.
CJD Onset And Research
Barbara Tarbuck, General Hospital veteran who is most popular for her role as Lady Jane Jacks, according to Daily Mail. The last film that the actress was on was Postcard from the Palace where she was Archduchess Paula in 2014. If the timeline for the onset of CJD is correct, the actress had two years before succumbing to the disease.
CJD can be inherited but cases, where it is transmitted through fluids, are rare. However, healthcare professionals should practice safety measures when handling brain tissue and spinal cord fluid of CJD patients. There are also theories that CJD can be transmitted through blood transfusion.
The latest research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine revealed a noninvasive diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This new method will allow doctors to screen donated blood contaminated with CJD prion.
The study by the University of Texas Health Science Center needs further studies, but it is a promising technology. As people mourn for Barbara Tarbuck, General Hospital and American Horror Story actress, researchers try to learn more about CJD.
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