The prions involved in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are extremely resistant to attempts at disinfection and sterilization. Certain tissues have been shown to be more likely than others to transmit prion disease in animal studies. Proper handling of equipment or surfaces exposed to a patient with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease depends on the risks involved.
High risk tissues:
(1) brain
(2) dura mater
(3) spinal cord
(4) cornea or other ocular tissue
Low risk tissues:
(1) CSF
(2) liver
(3) lymph nodes
(4) kidney
(5) lung
(6) spleen
Other tissues (including peripheral nerves) are considered to have no infectivity risk.
Instruments or surfaces in contact with high risk tissues should be:
(1) incinerated, or
(2) decontaminated and sterilized using a specific Creutzfeldt-Jakob high risk protocol
Instruments in contact with low risk or no risk tissues should be processed (cleaned then disinfected or sterilized) using conventional protocols.
Environmental surfaces in contact with low risk or no risk tissues should be cleaned with OSHA-recommended disinfectants for blood contaminated surfaces
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