Media Releases

Test Results Negative for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Milwaukee (Dec. 18, 2007) — Results of a test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in a patient who had surgery at Froedtert Hospital last week showed no evidence of CJD. The test was performed at the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

As a precautionary measure, Froedtert halted surgeries on Thursday, Dec. 13, after receiving a test result that morning that was inconclusive for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the patient, whose surgery took place at Froedtert on Monday, Dec. 10. To ensure the safety of patients, all surgical instruments were re-sterilized with a special process to assure that in the remote chance that prion disease was present, the instruments would be safe to use.

The patient involved in this case has been discharged from the hospital with appropriate diagnosis and treatment, and is doing well at home. The patient’s family has asked that no additional information be shared with the public.

“We are thankful that the test was negative and that the patient is doing well,” said G. Richard Olds, MD, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin who treats patients at Froedtert Hospital. “We are in the process of calling all of the patients who had surgery last Tuesday and Wednesday to let them know the good news.”

Olds noted that the hospital has rigorous procedures and safeguards in place to protect patients, including quarantining instruments used in brain surgeries if there is the slightest indication of prion disease. In this case, Olds said, there was no such indication until several days after the patient had undergone surgery at Froedtert, when the hospital received a test result from a facility where the patient previously had been seen.

Listen to the complete audio of the media conference with G. Richard Olds, MD, Chairman and Professor of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, held at 3:00 pm on Dec. 18.

Learn more about CJD, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, or the precautionary steps that were taken at Froedtert Hospital.

Author: Kathy Sieja

Last Review Date: Dec. 18, 2007