Prion Associated Diseases

Sporadic, Familial and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Strãussler-Scheinker Disease and Fatal Familial Insomnia

Must not donate if:
1. Diagnosed with any form of CJD, or other human prion disease.

2. Identified at increased risk of developing a prion associated disorder.
This includes:
a) Individuals at familial risk of prion-associated diseases (have had two or more blood relatives develop a prion-associated disease or have been informed following genetic counselling they are at risk).

b) Individuals who have been told that they have been put at increased risk from surgery, transfusion or transplant of tissues or organs.

c) Individuals who have been told that they may be at increased risk because a recipient of blood or tissues that they have donated has developed a prion related disorder.

d) Recipients of dura mater grafts.

e) Recipients of corneal, scleral or other ocular tissue grafts.

f) Recipients of human pituitary derived extracts.

g) Since January 1st 1980Recipients of any allogeneic human tissue.

If the mother has had two or more blood relatives develop a prion-associated disease and, following genetic counselling, they have been informed that they are not at risk, accept.
This requires confirmation by a Designated Medical Officer.

Pituitary Extract - Human
Tissue and Cell Allograft Recipients
Transfusion

See the Position Statement on Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease available in the JPAC Document Library.

To reflect guidance from the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs. There is the same concern over a possible second wave of cases of vCJD from accepting donors who have received tissue or organ transplants, as there is over donors who have been previously transfused.