Sciensano, Belgian CJD surveillance (seven university CJD reference centres)

Belgium's national CJD surveillance is run by Sciensano, the federal public health institute. It has kept a register of sporadic, genetic, iatrogenic and variant CJD since 1998, fed by seven university neurology and neuropathology centres, and it reports to the European CJD network under ECDC. No variant CJD case had been recorded in Belgium as of the 2019 report.

Key facts

  • Sciensano coordinates the surveillance and maintains the database covering sporadic, familial, iatrogenic and variant CJD.
  • Seven academic neurology and neuropathology centres are designated CJD reference centres; neurologists refer suspected patients to them and they report probable cases.
  • The 2019 report named the seven as the university hospitals of Antwerp, Brussels (UZ Brussel), Ghent and Leuven, plus Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Hopital Erasme and CHU Liege; Antwerp, Leuven and Liege are listed for autopsy confirmation.
  • The system reimburses autopsies, and results of all autopsies on suspected cases are sent to Sciensano whatever the final diagnosis.
  • The 2026 Sciensano pages say three centres can confirm cases by autopsy, while the 2019 report says four perform autopsies; the difference is unexplained.
  • Surveillance began on 1 January 1998 with no end date and is funded by the federal public health, food chain safety and environment service.
  • Two stated aims: find variant CJD cases (to trace sources and prevent spread via blood products and transplants) and detect rises in overall CJD incidence as a signal of new prion diseases or transmission routes.
  • Between 1998 and 2018, 275 probable or definite cases were reported: 96.7% sporadic, 2.9% genetic, 0.4% iatrogenic (one case); mean annual mortality was 1.23 per million.
  • In the same period 347 autopsies were done on suspected cases, 231 confirming CJD; no variant CJD case was reported.
  • RT-QuIC on cerebrospinal fluid has been used in Belgium since 2014; in 46 cases with autopsy it matched the autopsy result in 45 of the conclusive results.
  • The 2019 report cites the 1998 Rotterdam and 2000 UK vCJD criteria, and said paper reporting would be replaced by a web system planned for 2020.
  • Sciensano was formed on 1 April 2018 by merging the Scientific Institute of Public Health and the Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre.
  • Sciensano states it cooperates with ECDC on CJD surveillance and publishes a report twice a year.

Timeline

  1. 1998Belgian CJD surveillance system starts; first covered deaths from 27 February 1998.
  2. 2014RT-QuIC begins to be used in Belgium for suspected CJD.
  3. 2018Sciensano created by merger of WIV-ISP and CODA-CERVA, taking over the surveillance.
  4. 2019Sciensano publishes "21 years of CJD surveillance in Belgium, 1998-2018".
  5. 2026Sciensano CJD surveillance page shows a current version stamp, the latest sign of upkeep seen.

Last checked 1 November 2026

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