Creuzfeldt Jakob Disease (Hansard, 23 November 1992)

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of how Creuzfeldt Jakob disease may be acquired, other than through accidental injection; and what information she has on the nature of the disease-causing agent.

§ Mr. Yeo
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 29 June at column441.
Information on the incidence of Creuzfeldt Jakob disease in the United Kingdom is set out in annual Creuzfeldt Jakob disease surveillance unit report by Dr. Will, a copy of which is in the Library.
Extensive epidemiological information on Creuzfeldt Jakob disease cases collected by the unit does not reveal an association between the disease and particular activities. Neither is there any indication that the pattern or incidence of Creuzfeldt Jakob disease has changed over the last two decades.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been produced to assist patients who may be contaminated with Creuzfeldt Jakob disease in the event that they(a) have children, (b) intend to donate blood or other organs and (c) wish to undertake tattoos.

§ Mr. Yeo
The Creuzfeldt Jakob disease surveillance unit has produced patient information on Creuzfeldt Jakob disease which is provided on a doctor-to-patient basis—a copy is in the Library. This makes no specific reference to the children of Creuzfeldt Jakob disease patients as there is no evidence to suggest Creuzfeldt Jakob disease can be passed between family members either through normal contact or in pregnancy. Neither does it refer to tattoos as there is no evidence of peripheral inoculation transmitting the infection.
For guidance in respect of potential blood and organ donors I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave him on 29 June at column 443.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken to quantify the 509W proportion of persons, showing no symptoms of disease, who may be carrying the infectious agent causing Creuzfeldt Jakob disease.

§ Mr. Yeo
As yet there is no test to identify asymptomatic infection in humans. It is not therefore possible to identify those who may be carrying the Creuzfeldt Jakob disease agent.