brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (CJD)
Prevention of Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
Because there is no effective treatment for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, preventing its spread is essential. Only acquired CJD can be prevented. Health care practitioners do the following to prevent the spread of CJD or vCJD: For health care workers who handle fluids and tissues from infected or possibly infected people, wear gloves and face masks Destroy or use strict methods to disinfect materials (such as surgical instruments) that come in contact with infected or possibly infected tissues (routine cleansing and sterilization procedures do not destroy prions) Use only synthetic human growth hormone, rather than growth hormone derived from the pituitary glands of cadavers Do not accept blood donations or corneas or other tissues for transplantation from people who have been or may have been exposed to CJD or vCJD Public health officials do the following to prevent the spread of vCJD acquired by eating contaminated beef: Periodically check cattle for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) Slaughter infected cattle Tightly regulate what goes into animal feed for animals that people eat, such as cattle, sheep, and goats The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently checks a sample of cattle each month for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. 