Research funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the UK Department of Health has resulted in a new procedure expected to substantially reduce the risks of transmission of human prion infection during routine surgery.

To date prions, transmissible agents that cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and other prion diseases are known to resist conventional sterilization procedures. The research, published in the March edition of the Journal of General Virology was conducted by a team, led by Professor John Collinge, at the MRC Prion Unit.

ENDS

For more information, a copy of the paper, or to arrange an interview, contact the MRC Press Office on (UK) 020 7637 6011 (phoning from abroad dial +44 20 7637 6011).
Medical Research Council, UK