Emory Univ. Hospital (Ga.): Warns patients of possible CJD exposure

Atlanta-based Emory University Hospital yesterday began informing some patients that they may have been exposed to a mad cow-like disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease after a brain surgery patient tested positive for the disease on Sept. 15, the Associated Press reports. Hospital officials say that the likelihood other patients were exposed to the disease is “extremely small,” but they add that they want to take “every possible [precaution] to deal with this matter.” Officials are telephoning 98 neurological and spinal surgery patients who “may have had contact with the surgical instruments used on the infected patient,” as well as 418 non-neurosurgical patients who had operations between Sept. 10 and Sept. 27 and are considered to be at lower risk. Official say there is only a “remote” chance that patients were exposed to the disease because the hospital “routinely sterilize[s] all surgical equipment,” adding that more stringent sterilization guidelines were put into place after Sept. 15. Meanwhile, Emory says that it will provide counseling for patients who feel they need it. The AP notes that there have been four known cases of CJD spread via neurosurgical equipment worldwide, all occurring in Europe before 1976 (AP/Newark Star-Ledger, 10/1).