Mortality from dementia in occupations at risk of exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy: analysis of death registrations.

Since the early 1980s close contact with animals or animal products infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy has posed a putative risk of infection with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Several groups with potentially high exposure have already been identified. To study whether transmissible spongiform encephalopathy has had any effect on people working in animal husbandry and slaughter, we used national mortality records to examine patterns of mortality from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other dementias during 1979-80 and 1982-96.