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Updated Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease infection control guidelines: sifting facts from fiction

Ann P Koehler, Eugene Athan and Steven J Collins
Med J Aust 2013; 198 (5): . || doi: 10.5694/mja13.10114
Published online: 18 March 2013

New guidelines aimed at reducing iatrogenic disease and discrimination against patients

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder which causes the death of about 25–30 Australians each year, giving an average mortality rate of 1.2 cases/million/year.1 It is untreatable. CJD is the commonest human form of prion disease2 and is a notifiable disease in all Australian states and territories, with notification to the relevant jurisdictional health department required for all cases in which a strong clinical suspicion for CJD exists.


  • 1 Communicable Disease Control Branch, SA Health, Adelaide, SA.
  • 2 Department of Infectious Diseases, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC.
  • 3 Australian National Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease Registry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.



Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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  • 9. Thadani V, Penar PL, Partington J, et al. Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease probably acquired from a cadaveric dura mater graft. J Neurosurg 1988; 69: 766-769.
  • 10. Communicable Diseases Network Australia. Australian Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease infection control guidelines. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing, 2013. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/icg-guidelines-index.htm (accessed Feb 2013).

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