Articles
July 2000
The Director - Features
A CJD Primer
Information funeral service practitioners should know whe facing a case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Every funeral director and embalmer should be aware of the existence of a disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). Concern has risen sharply and is wide spread according to funeral directors that have experienced confirmed and unconfirmed cases of CJD. National statistics indicate that the average CJD occurrence is .95 to 1.5 cases per year per one million people.
CJD Primer provides readers with an overview of the current information and knowledge available about CJD and offers suggestions on working with the families experiencing the loss of a loved one infected with this disease. It explains what CJD is, who gets it, what causes it, and what dangers it poses to health-care and mortuary staff. It discusses embalming considerations, protection measures, and concerns regarding autopsied cases. It also gives advice on servicing families who are arranging the funeral of a CJD case.
The article was written by James F. Burnside III, CFSP, Curtis Rostad, CFSP, and Kurt Soffe, CFSP.
