According to the result of the most recent case investigation conducted by the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) working group of the Taiwan Neurological Society, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announces the latest updates on the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) surveillance data and reports four highly probable cases of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) and one confirmed case of genetic CJD.Between 1997 and May 10, 2011, a total of 264 probable, highly probable and confirmed CJD cases were reported and investigated in Taiwan.Of the 264 cases, 259 cases are sCJD cases, including probable, highly probable and confirmed sCJD cases, 4 cases are confirmed genetic CJD (gCJD) cases, and one case is a highly probable variant CJD (vCJD) case.Over the past decade, the annual CJD incidence rate in Taiwan is approximately 0.5~1 case per 1,000,000 persons, which is similar to that in other countries around the world.

There are four types of CJD: sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), acquired CJD, genetic CJD and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-related variant CJD (vCJD).sCJD accounts for about 80~90% of all CJD cases.sCJD is believed to result from the build-up of abnormal prion proteins.Acquired CJD is usually transmitted through certain medical procedures such as injections of contaminated pituitary growth hormone and grafts of contaminated dura mater.

Taiwan CDC states that CJD is listed as one of the Category IV Notifiable Infectious Diseases in Taiwan and Taiwan has a comprehensive approach to managing CJD, including a case reporting system, a disease surveillance system, a case investigation mechanism, nosocomial infection control guidelines, and case reporting guidelines.Further, our case definitions are based on WHO definitions.When a probable, highly probable or confirmed case is reported, Taiwan CDC will request the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation, the Bureau of Medical Affairs and the diagnosing hospital in writing to tighten their implementation of blood safety strategies, graft control measures and nosocomial transmission and infection control measures to reduce the risk of transmission.

For more information on CJD, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website: http://www.cdc.gov.tw/ or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922.