Authors: Fiona Ord & Pauline Watt

In the last 15 years variant CJD (vCJD) emerged in the UK and is thought to have been acquired primarily through consumption of BSE-contaminated meat products. CJD is a fatal disease with no immediate prospect of treatment. Abnormal prion proteins associated with vCJD are found outwith the central nervous system, raising concerns for possible transmission of prion proteins via invasive medical (including dental) procedures from persons in the asymptomatic phase of the disease. This article seeks to highlight the existing knowledge of vCJD, the distribution in oral tissues, the possible association with dental treatment and to raise awareness of current research.