BBC Wednesday, 20 June, 2001, 09:35 GMT 10:35 UK

NHS to open CJD clinic

A London hospital is to open an NHS clinic specialising in the treatment of people with the brain disease variant CJD.

The National Prion Clinic at St Mary's Hospital will be the first treatment centre in the UK devoted to variant CJD, also known as mad cow disease, and related brain diseases.

The clinic's director is Professor John Collinge, one of the world's leading experts on the family of prion diseases.

Prions are infectious agents that cause fatal brain diseases such as vCJD in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie in animals.

Incubation period

Following infection, there is a very long incubation period before symptoms of the disease occur.

According to the latest figures from the Department of Health, 100 cases of vCJD have been recorded to date in humans.

But it remains unclear how many other people have been exposed to BSE and what proportion of these will eventually develop the human form of the disease.

Prof Collinge said: "Prion diseases cause degeneration of the nervous system and the symptoms often resemble other more common disorders, for instance, Alzheimer's disease or Huntingdon's chorea.

"We want clinicians to refer patients to us at an early stage, even when the diagnosis may be unclear."

Hi-tech facilities

The clinic, funded by the Department of Health, is expected to open its doors to patients this year.

It will provide support and medical care for patients with suspected or confirmed prion diseases as well as advice to families, carers and health professionals.

The clinic will operate closely with the Medical Research Council's Prion Unit, headed by Prof Collinge, which is investigating vCJD.

A range of hi-tech diagnostic facilities will be available at the clinic, including molecular genetic analysis and brain imaging.

In addition, the unit will respond to inquiries from the public and provide information about prion diseases.

News of the new clinic was announced at the World Congress of Neurology meeting taking place at London's Earl's Court.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001