Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in Canada: About
Information on the Canadian Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance System (CJDSS).
- Last updated: 2026-01-05
Human prion diseases are rare and fatal brain disorders. Prion diseases occur when normal proteins in the body misfold and cause illness. Misfolded prion proteins accumulate in the brain, causing damage and severe neurological symptoms.
We hope the information in this dashboard raises awareness about human prion diseases in Canada.
CJD surveillance system
The CJDSS is a public health surveillance program that tracks all human prion disease cases in Canada. Data collection started in 1998 and continues to the present.
Data collected by CJDSS informs public health actions and decision-making by federal, provincial and territorial public health authorities. The CJDSS also provides information about CJD and other human prion diseases to:
- affected patients and families
- healthcare providers
- public health professionals
To learn more about the CJDSS, visit CJDSS (factsheet) and Prion Diseases.
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