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Iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Final Assessment

Paul Brown, Jean-Philippe Brandel, Takeshi Sato and 7 more

Emerging Infectious Diseases · 2012 · Review

doi:10.3201/eid1806.120116

Abstract

The era of iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has nearly closed; only occasional cases with exceptionally long incubation periods are still appearing. The principal sources of these outbreaks are contaminated growth hormone (226 cases) and dura mater grafts (228 cases) derived from human cadavers with undiagnosed CJD infections; a small number of additional cases are caused by neurosurgical instrument contamination, corneal grafts, gonadotrophic hormone, and secondary infection with variant CJD transmitted by transfusion of blood products. No new sources of disease have been identified, and current practices, which combine improved recognition of potentially infected persons with new disinfection methods for fragile surgical instruments and biological products, should continue to minimize the risk for iatrogenic disease until a blood screening test for the detection of preclinical infection is validated for human use.

Full text

From PubMed Central, U.S. National Library of Medicine, as current on Oct 18, 2026. Paragraph numbers are ours, so an answer can point at one.

Medscape CME Activity

Medscape, LLC is pleased to provide online continuing medical education (CME) for this journal article, allowing clinicians the opportunity to earn CME credit.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of Medscape, LLC and Emerging Infectious Diseases. Medscape, LLC is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Medscape, LLC designates this Journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

All other clinicians completing this activity will be issued a certificate of participation. To participate in this journal CME activity: (1) review the learning objectives and author disclosures; (2) study the education content; (3) take the post-test with a 70% minimum passing score and complete the evaluation at www.medscape.org/journal/eid; (4) view/print certificate.

Release date: May 16, 2012; Expiration date: May 16, 2013

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

Distinguish the principal sources of iatrogenic CJD

Identify countries with the highest rates of documented CJD

Analyze the clinical presentation of iatrogenic CJD

Assess new threats which might promote higher rates of CJD.

CME Editor

P. Lynne Stockton, Technical Writer/Editor, Emerging Infectious Diseases. Disclosure: P. Lynne Stockton has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

CME Author

Charles P. Vega, MD, Health Sciences Clinical Professor; Residency Director, Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Irvine. Disclosure: Charles P. Vega, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Authors

Disclosures: Paul Brown; Jean-Philippe Brandel; Takeshi Sato, MD; Yosikazu Nakamura, MD, MPH, FFPH; Jan MacKenzie; Anna Ladogana; Ellen W. Leschek, MD; and Lawrence B. Schonberger, MD, MPH, have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Robert G. Will, FRCP, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships: served as an advisor or consultant for LFB, Farring. Maurizio Pocchiari, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships: served as an advisor or consultant for LFB, Farring.

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