As of June 1, 2001
>100 cases of vCJD have been confirmed
using these criteria,
- Criteria I
- A) progressive
neuropsychiatric disorder
- B) >6month
duration of illiness
- C) no alternate
diagnosis suggested
- D) iatrogenic
exposure not indicated
- Criteria II
- A) early psychiatric
symptoms include
- depression,
anxiety, apathy, withdrawal, delusions
- B) persistent
painful sensory symptomes includes
- both frank
pain and/ or unpleasant dysaesthesia
- C) ataxia
- D) myoclonus
or chorea or dystonia
- E) dementia
- Criteria III
- A) EEG not
typical of sCJD
- sCJD EEG
has triphasic periodic complexes (1/second)
- or no
EEG performed
- B) MRI scan
shows bilateral pulvinar high signal
- Criteria IV
- A) tonsil
biopsy is positive
vCJD diagnosis
is definite (confirmed) if:
- Criteria IA is
met with
- Neuropathology
showing
- spongiform
change and extensive PrP deposition with florid plaques throughout the
cerebrum and cerebellum
vCJD is probable
(unconfirmed) if:
- all from Criteria
I are present
- 4 of 5 from Criteria
II are present
- Criteria IIIA
and IIIB
or
- all from Criteria
I are present
- Criteria IV is
met
Please note the
only way to have a definite (confirmed) diagnosis at this time involves
examining brain tissue (neuropathology) due to similar clinical expression to
several other human
TSEs.
With this in mind numerous cases of vCJD have been confirmed in the UK (some
are plotted on the figure below). There is no discernable pattern of incidence
but all cases are believed to be the result of consuming BSE contaminated food.
click on figure for similar map showing cases of sCJD