§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the present number of known and suspected cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease and the geographic location of these cases; and what comparable data she has for the last five years.
§ Mr. SackvilleInformation showing the total number of definite and probable cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease is produced on a yearly basis by Dr. R. G. Will, consultant neurologist at the national CJD surveillance unit, Edinburgh. Data for 1992 will be available later this year.
Between 1987 and 1990 there were a total of 104 definite cases of CJD. The available data on deaths in the calendar year 1991 show that 28 people have been confirmed as CJD with a further four probable cases. The available information is shown in the table.
Definite and probable cases of CJD 1987–1991 Year and status Number 1987 Definite 22 1988 Definite 22 1989 Definite 28 1990 Definite 32 1991 Definite 28 Probable 4 Detailed information on geographical location of definite and probable cases is contained in the last report from Dr. Will. Copies have been placed in the Library.
This report confirms that there has been no change in the incidence, geographical distribution or occupational 825W distribution of CJD. It will, however, be necessary to continue the study into the incidence of CJD for a decade or more to detect any change in the pattern of the disease.