The Australian National CJD Registry

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is one of the human forms of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), also referred to as Prion diseases. The Australian National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Registry (ANCJDR) was established in October 1993 in response to the recognition of four probable Australian human pituitary hormone related CJD deaths. The ANCJDR is under contract to the Commonwealth to determine all suspect cases of TSE in Australia. Patients can be suspected with any of the various forms of TSE's, including classical CJD (sporadic or genetic).  Acquired CJD is a separate class and includes both medically acquired CJD and the most recently recognized form identified in 1996, named Variant CJD (vCJD).

A Senate inquiry into the use of human pituitary hormones under The Australian Human Pituitary Hormone Program (AHPHP) was reported in June of 1994. Recommendations from the report included the expansion of ANCJDR surveillance activities and establishment of laboratory and research facilities dedicated to CJD; these are combined at the ANCJDR. The ANCJDR offers diagnostic services to enhance ante-mortem diagnostics; the 14-3-3 protein CSF test and genetic testing. More specialized tests include neuropathological examination, immuno-histochemistry and tissue typing. The ANCJDR is a World Health Organisation reference centre and laboratory facility for human TSE.