An update on the epidemiology and key issues associated with the diagnosis and management of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease cases in NSW

Abstract

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a fatal disease caused by the accumulation of abnormal prion proteins in neurological tissues. Routine notification data reveal that NSW has similar rates of CJD to other states and territories in Australia; however, it is likely that there is significant underascertainment of cases. It is important that clinicians and public health staff remain vigilant for the clinical signs of CJD and understand the limitations of the different diagnostic tests available. This paper provides a brief overview of the epidemiology of CJD in NSW, as well as current issues in the diagnosis and public health investigation of CJD.