it is called cjd. there's no treatment or cure. >> once symptoms occur the average time of death is about 4 months. there is no treatment there is no cure and there's no screening test. >> the 8 former patients got the news after it was determined they were exposed to the same neurosurgical equipment used on a person who had a brain cyst removed here in may. doctors were unaware the patient had suspected cjd. >> the patient was admitted with a rapidly progressing dementia. >> cdj is caused by an abnormal protein in the brain. the symptoms include loss of memory and motor skills. it eats away the brain. unlike viruses or bacterias sterilization does not kill cjd. although extremely rare, it can be transcended through instruments used in brain surgery. >> there have only been four cases in the world's literature of this type of transfer. four cases with surgical instruments. >> they won't know if the patients have contracted it until they begin showing symptoms. for now all these people can do is wait an

only 200 people are diagnosed with cjd each year. patients locally may have been exposed up to 13 nationally may be at risk because the equipment was also rented. this is the not the strain much cjd commonly known as mad cow we want to make that distinction as well. moving forward to help patient who is have been exposed the director of public health and human services in ma'am new hampshire said the risk to these individuals is considered extremely low. however he added after expert extensive discussion his team could not conclude there is no risk, adding this, quote, we're taking a step to notify patients and providing them as much information as we can. our sympathies are with all the patients and their families as this may be a confusing and difficult situation. catholic medical center said it is working closely with the families to help them in any way possible and there are no neurosurgeries scheduled until they have the autopsy results of that one patient. jenna. jenna: what a scary story. we'll continue to watch that. jon? jo

one in a million people around the world will get it. >> shepard: sporeadic cjd.oundses like a rapper's name. the patients who may have been exposed now they may have been exposed. >> they have been notified and the risk they'll cullly contract the disease is said to be extremely low, but it is possible. only four cases of transmission involving surgical instruments have been reported, not in the u.s. they're monitor patients' healths and providing families with as much health and information as they can. the patients took the news well. none were angry or emotionally upset. catholic medical center has now put a suspension on all neurological surgeries until they get autopsy results from one patient two died. >> shepard: a check now on your money. the dow approaching hit first three-day winning streak in two months, after a new report shows more americans are getting back to work. the economy is looking up according to almost every index. the number of americans filing first-time jobless claims fell by 9,000 last week, to 323,000 and that's a five-year low. analys

think there are related forms of enreceive lop think, i mean, i don't know the racial breakdown for cjd, but i do think there are other forms that have been studied more globally, and this might be data outside the united states. >> okay. >> is it a myth that mad cow disease doesn't exist in the united states? >> yes. [inaudible conversations] >> yes, i thought -- i didn't think it was here. of when they diagnosed my father with mad cow disease, i thought what in the world? i'm thinking, i'm like, mad -- are you serious? and i didn't think it was real. and then when i started looking up, no black people. okay? >> i ask a question about that, i'm very sorry for your loss. you know, my condolences. what are you looking for when you say you want information about black people? >> because -- [inaudible conversations] >> with regards to mad cow. >> because you, because it's already rare and you don't know anything, okay? >> uh-huh. >> and then you find out when you do look, when i do go on the web site, it's all white people. so i'm like, okay, is it hitting black people? do black people cat

officials in manchester, new hampshire announced a neuropatiesurgeory t who is suspected of having cjdave resulted in exposure to other patients with similar surgery and those that cause sporadic cjd is not destroyed by the standard sterlization process mandated at hospitals. the disease is extremely dangerous, progresses rapidly, once symptoms appear but can take decades to show up. symptoms include memory changes, coordination changes and other neurological problems. >> once symptoms appear, however, the average time to death is about four months. there is no treatment, there is no cure and there is no screening test. >> hospital officials say that while eight patients locally may have been exposed, up to 13 nationally could be at risk because the equipment was rented. this is not the strain of cj dcom monthly known as mad cow. the director of public health and human services said the risk to individuals is considered extremely low. he added after extensive expert discussion, his team could not conclude there was no risk, adding this, we are take he stepping of notifying the patient

and tests are under way to determine if they definite hi had cjd.reads the disease cannot be eliminated by standard sterilization techniques used in hospitals. >> but there is a very remote chance because of that that the disease can be transmitted via the surgical instruments. >> reporter: though chances are low, cmc contacted eight patients who had brain surgery procedures following the patient believed to have had the disease. none have symptoms. >> there is no risk to any other patients, their families or the general public. >> reporter: the hospital says a single piece of equipment used in the neurosurgery was loaned to the hospital. it was then sent outside of new hampshire and used in other surgeries not involving granite staters. >> possible exposure of no more than five patients. >> reporter: for the time being, brain surgeries stopped at cmc. and the equipment used has been quarantined. >>> missouri man accused of knowingly exposing hundreds of sexual partners to hiv 37-year-old david mangum arrested after turned in by a former boyfriend w

it's called cjd.ase. >> there have only been four cases in the world's literature of this type of transfer. four cases with surgical instruments. >> gretchen: unlike viruses or bacteria, standard hospital sterilization does not kill this from surgical equipment. >>> an american doctor is dead, a horrible accident. he was trampled by elephants while on a safari in tanzania. 50 elephanted started chasing him. he fell, tried to run away and was crushed. he was a former dean of the university of california, san diego. >>> the obama administration clears the way for same sex spouses of military veterans to be eligible for federal benefits. the justice department announcing it will no longer enforce the section of the law that only allows benefits to heterosexual couples. same sex spouse already get the benefits. the announcement comes after a judge ruled an army vet and her spouse should be entitled to disability benefits. the decision will only apply in states where gay marriage is legal. >>> can you hand

this is the not the strain of cjd, commonly known as mad cow, martha.artha: wow, that is frightening story. what are health officials doing to the patients that might have been exposed? >> reporter: getting out the word. the head of public health services in new hampshire said the risk for these individuals is considered extremely low. however he added after expert discussion his team could not conclude there was no risk, adding this, we are taking the step of notifying patients and providing them with as much information as we can. our sympathies are with all the patients and their families as this may be a confusing and difficult situation. catholic medical center said it is working closely with the families to help them in any way possible and there are no neurosurges being scheduled until hospital officials have the autopsy results. martha. martha: laura, thank you very much. bill: bill o'reilly has a message to those who oppose action against damascus. why he says america can not allow evil to go unchecked. we'll play that for you and debate. plus