The initial symptoms of vCJD include memory problems, social withdrawal, mood swings and depression. Later the sufferer becomes unsteady and may suffer hallucinations or jerking of the limbs and head. The disease is irreversible and eventually leads to coma and death. It can only have been picked up after the emergence of BSE, and the likelihood is that it was through baby food. However, Heather Paine, spokeswoman for the Infant and Dietetic Foods Association, said that as far as she knew, no high-risk beef material had ever been used in processed baby foods.
Manufacturers are very aware of what mothers want to feed their babies.
The diagnosis of vCJD is hard to confirm, and usually this can be done only after death. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.