Current (2002) diagnostic criteria for variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD)
| Definite: 1A (progressive neuropsychiatric disorder) and neuropathological confirmation of vCJD. | |
| Probable: All group 1 items and four or five from group 2 and 3a and 3b (or all group 1 items and group 4a). | |
| Group 1 features | |
| (a) Progressive neuropsychiatric disorder (depression, anxiety, withdrawal, delusions) | |
| (b) Duration of illness > 6 months | |
| (c) Routine investigations do not suggest an alternative diagnosis | |
| (d) No history of potential iatrogenic exposure | |
| Group 2 features | |
| (a) Early psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, apathy, withdrawal, delusions) | |
| (b) Persistent painful sensory symptoms (includes frank pain and/or unpleasant dysaesthesia) | |
| (c) Ataxia | |
| (d) Myoclonus or chorea or dystonia | |
| (e) Dementia | |
| Group 3 | |
| (a) EEG does not show the typical appearance of sporadic CJD (or no EEG performed) | |
| (b) Bilateral pulvinar high signal on MRI scan | |
| Group 4 | |
| (a) Positive tonsil biopsy | |