The number of persons who have died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in each of the last five years is as follows: 1994 nil; 1995 two; 1996 three; 1997 three; 1998 six.
CJD is the collective name for a group of diseases which cause progressive dementia and a loss of control of movement and balance. There are four variants of the condition, namely sporadic (classic), familial – inherited – latrogenic – caused by treatment – and the new variant CJD. Only new variant CJD has been linked to the consumption of beef. All but one of the cases which occurred in Ireland in the last five years were of the sporadic or classic variant. The other case, which occurred in 1997, was of the familial strain. In each of the cases the patient died.
The clinicians treating a particular patient are best qualified to explain and discuss with the family the nature of that patient's condition and I understand that in the case referred to by the Deputy the consultant has met the family and explained the nature of the diagnosis made. Where a family is unhappy with a specific CJD diagnosis, arrangements can be made whereby tissue sections can be referred to the UK surveillance centre in Edinburgh for a second opinion. Should a family wish to discuss with one of the expert members of the national CJD surveillance committee concerns relating to any aspect of CJD or to a specific diagnosis, arrangements can also be made in this regard.
