New guidelines aimed at reducing iatrogenic disease and discrimination against patients
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder which causes the death of about 25–30 Australians each year, giving an average mortality rate of 1.2 cases/million/year.1 It is untreatable. CJD is the commonest human form of prion disease2 and is a notifiable disease in all Australian states and territories, with notification to the relevant jurisdictional health department required for all cases in which a strong clinical suspicion for CJD exists.
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- 10. Communicable Diseases Network Australia. Australian Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease infection control guidelines. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing, 2013. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/icg-guidelines-index.htm (accessed Feb 2013).
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