There have been no identified cases of occupational infections in the clinical laboratory resulting from contact with blood or other body fluids from human cases of prion diseases (CJD). The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the infectivity in organ tissue and body fluids with CJD by category. Those tissues, secretions, and excretions with high infectivity include the brain, spinal cord, pituitary gland, posterior eye, cranial nerves, and cranial ganglia. Those tissues categorized as lower or low infectivity include lymphoreticular tissue, alimentary tract tissue, reproductive tissue, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and body fluids (blood, urine, CSF, saliva, and feces.) Skin, reproductive tissue, and other body fluids (cord blood, sweat, tears, and bile), are considered not to have any detectable infectivity. Even though CSF is categorized as low infectivity, the WHO recommends handling it with great care. It is recommended that infected CSF not be analyzed on automated instruments and that any materials coming in contact with the CSF be discarded and incinerated.
For surgical and dental procedures that may involve contact with highly infective tissue, the WHO further recommends that single-use instruments be employed, if possible, and incinerated after use. If re-usable instruments must be used, they, too, should be discarded and incinerated.
