Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (classical or variant)

Statutory notification

• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) : (classical or variant) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Case definition: See Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) (external site) national surveillance case definition.
• Notifications: Notify using the online (external site)  infectious diseases notification form (see Frequently Asked Questions for guidance).
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health summary

• Infectious agent: Self replicating host-coded protein or prion protein.
• Transmission: Mode of transmission for classical form is unknown but possibly due to de novo spontaneous generation. Has been transmitted by contaminated neurosurgical instruments or administration of pituitary hormone therapy, dura mater grafts, corneal grafts derived from infected individuals. Mode of transmission for variant form is thought to be due to consumption of infected meat.
• Incubation period: 15 months to more than 30 years
• Infectious period: Possibly infectious early in incubation period.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: No specific treatment.
• Immunisation: None available.
• Case follow-up: Conducted by the Communicable Disease Control Directorate.

Guidelines for public health units

• Management and reporting of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease policy
• A Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease response plan for Australia (external site)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• Infectious disease data resources