Government scientists hope to cut drastically the threat of the human form of BSE (vCJD) and similar diseases being spread through contaminated surgical instruments.

They announced yesterday that hospital disinfectants might soon be available to eradicate the deadly prion protein thought responsible for the conditions.

Preliminary results from tests using high-alkali enzymes at high temperatures indicate they can remove all infection from contaminated equipment.

Neil Raven, a research director at laboratories of the health protection agency at Porton Down, Wiltshire, said the team was confident that the process would lead to a solution for prion elimination.

The agency has teamed up with the biotech company Genecor International to develop the work. Systems now used in hospitals cannot totally destroy the prions, which can be infectious long before patients are known to be harbouring disease.