Tissue classification for the epidemiological assessment of surgical transmission of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. A proposal on hypothetical risk levels.

Background: Epidemiological studies on the potential role of surgery in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease transmission have disclosed associations with history of specific surgical interventions or reported negative results.

Methods: Within the context of a case-control study designed to address surgical risk of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in Nordic European countries (EUROSURGYCJD Project), a strategy was adopted to categorise reported surgical procedures in terms of potential risk of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease acquisition. We took into account elements of biological plausibility, either clinically or experimentally demonstrated, such as tissue infectivity, PrP expression content or successful route of infection.

Results: We propose a classification of exposed tissues and anatomic structures, drawn up on the basis of their specific putative role as entry site for prion transmission through contact with surgical instruments that are not fully decontaminated.

Conclusions: This classification can serve as a reference, both in our study and in further epidemiological research, for categorisation of surgical procedures in terms of risk level of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease acquisition.