The Alarming Surge of Prion Diseases in the U.S.

The incidence of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a fatal prion disease, has been steadily increasing in the United States, particularly among women. From 2007 to 2020, the incidence of CJD rose from 1.06 to 1.58 per million in women and from 1.05 to 1.47 per million in men. The increase remained significant for women even after adjusting for age. The rise in incidence may be due to changing demographics or improved detection with new diagnostic tools. The study highlights the need for monitoring among the aging U.S. population.