The management of potential exposures to Cretuzfeld-Jakob Disease (CJD) via endoscopy

Introduction / objectives We describe the case of a 68-year-old male with autopsy-confirmed sporadic CJD (CJDs) who had undergone 2 colonoscopies prior to this diagnosis. The involved endoscopy centre had multiple colonoscopes and gastroscopes that are cleaned and disinfected in the same automatic washers/disinfectors (AWD). There was no system in place to track the use and disinfection of individual endoscopes. Four questions arise: Is it necessary to dispose of colonoscopes potentially contaminated by CJDs? Is it necessary to dispose of the AWD where the endoscopes were washed? Is it necessary to dispose gastroscopes at risk of contamination during the disinfection process in the AWD? Is it necessary to inform the patients who were exposed to these endoscopes ?