National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center

The National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC) was created in 1997 as the national center to examine tissue for human cases of suspected prion disease occurring in the United States, most notably Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is an extremely rare degenerative brain disorder (i.e., “spongiform” encephalopathy) characterized by sudden development of rapidly progressive neurological and neuromuscular symptoms. The NPDPSC offers referrals, reports, and research information to patients, family members, health professionals, and the general public. NPDPSC works closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor the prevalence of prion diseases in the USA and to investigate possible cases in which the disease has been acquired.