Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Prevention & CJD Research

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Prevention

Because the cause of sporadic CJD is unknown, there are no preventive measures available.

With respect to acquired CJD^[5], the causes are known and preventive measures can be taken. Measures to prevent vCJD involve:

• Control of animal feed to prevent contamination with BSE tissues
• Removal of sick animals before they are processed into food sources
• Tracking of cattle and their health
• Restriction of beef imports from countries with BSE

Measures to prevent CJD from medical procedures involve:

• Destruction of or thorough cleaning of equipment between uses.
• Avoiding the use of tissues from persons who had or were suspected of having CJD.

CJD Research

Research is focused on understanding how prions work, how genetics affect the likelihood of getting CJD, improving diagnosis, and improving treatment.^{[1, 3, 10]} In addition, research is being conducted on inactivating prions to improve food safety.^[3]