Collection Information

Adhere to your Facilities Policy to minimize the potential risk of prion transmission when handling instruments and/or tissue/spinal fluid of CJD-suspect patients

MHMH Policy Links:

• Potential Prion Disease (Suspected CJD) Procedure - Perioperative Services
• Diagnostic Radiology- CJD waste disposal
• Handling CJD in Clinical Path Lab

CHE Job Aide Link: Cleaning and Processing Anesthesia Equipment

APD Policy Link: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - CJD

NLH Policy Link: EXCLUSION Policy - Cytology Exclusion

Standard Precautions are required, please note the information regarding the HANDLING of instruments and tissue / spinal fluid from patients suspected of having CJD.

CJD is transmitted via exposure to instruments contaminated with brain tissue and spinal cord fluid from patients diagnosed with CJD. It cannot be transmitted through the air, touching or most other forms of casual contact. CJD has spread to other people from grafts of dura mater (a tissue that covers the brain), transplanted corneas, implantation of inadequately sterilized electrodes in the brain and injections of contaminated pituitary growth hormone derived from human pituitary glands taken from cadavers. Exposure to brain tissue and spinal cord fluid from infected patients should be avoided to prevent transmission of the disease through these materials. (Source:www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cid)