Detection of infectivity in blood of persons with variant and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 Jan;20(1):114-7. doi: 10.3201/eid2001.130353.

Abstract

We report the presence of infectivity in erythrocytes, leukocytes, and plasma of 1 person with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and in the plasma of 2 in 4 persons whose tests were positive for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The measured infectivity levels were comparable to those reported in various animals with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

Keywords: CJD; Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; TSE; blood; infectivity; prions; sCJD; transmissible spongiform encephalopathy; vCJD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cattle
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / blood
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / metabolism*
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Leukocytes / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Prions / genetics
  • Prions / metabolism
  • Prions / pathogenicity

Substances

  • Prions

Supplementary concepts

  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Sporadic