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Home › Topics › Infectious Diseases › Infections A-Z › Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) ›CJD Incidents Panel ›  What is a CJD Incident?
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What is a CJD Incident?

Incidents involve the potential transmission of CJD between patients through invasive clinical procedures, including surgery, blood donations, and organ and tissue donations.

CJD Incidents may occur when:

  • A patient has had an invasive procedure before being diagnosed with CJD.

Patients with CJD may be infectious before they develop symptoms. If they have an invasive procedure or donate blood, organs or tissues during that time, then other patients may be put at risk.

  • A patient has had an invasive procedure before being identified as having an increased risk of CJD.

Patients who are identified as at risk of CJD may have been infectious since their exposure to a CJD risk. If they had an invasive procedure or donated blood, organs or tissues during that time, then patients may have been put at risk.

  • Infection Control guidance are not followed for patients with or at risk of CJD

If a patient who might have CJD, or be at risk of CJD, undergoes an invasive medical procedure, then ACDP TSE Working Group Infection Control Guidance should be followed. If it is not, then other patients may be put at risk.


Last reviewed: 7 January 2009