According to the result of the third case investigation in 2011 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 two highly probable cases of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD).Between 1997 and March of 2011, a total of 439 suspected CJD cases were reported and investigated in Taiwan, including 259 probable, highly probable and confirmed CJD cases. Of the 259 cases, 255 cases are sCJD cases, including 27 probable, 226 highly probable and 2 confirmed sCJD cases, 3 cases are confirmed genetic CJD (gCJD) cases, and one case is a highly probable variant CJD (vCJD) case imported from the UK.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.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/.