Blood borne Pathogens

Background  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)  Blood borne pathogen standard developed December 6, 1991  Requires use of Standard Precautions  Revisions increase prevention awareness  Needle Stick Safety and Prevention Act of 2000

What are Blood borne Pathogens?  Microorganisms found in human blood, blood components and body fluids.  Cause blood borne diseases in humans.  Primary concerns:  Hepatitis B  Hepatitis C  Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Who is at Risk?  Health care workers  Police officers  Medical equipment personnel  Correctional facility personnel  Fire fighters

How are They Transported?  Contaminated needle-stick injuries  Most efficient mode of transmission  Contamination of eyes, mouth or other mucous membranes  Contamination of non-intact skin (cuts, scrapes, burns, dermatitis)  Job duties (first aid, drawing blood, CPR, blood spill clean-up)

Hepatitis B (HBV)  Virus infects liver cells causing acute/chronic liver disease  People can be carriers of the virus

HBV symptoms  Some show no symptoms  Mild flu-like illness  Severe symptoms:  Fatigue, anorexia, nausea, dark urine, abdominal pain, fever, joint pain, jaundice

HBV Vaccine  Pre-exposure vaccination is the most effective preventative measure  Vaccinations are free for employees with occupational exposure  Consists of series of three doses over a period of three months  Boosters  CDC has no recommendation concerning boosters

Hepatitis C (HCV)  Most common blood borne pathogen in US  Is primarily transmitted through repeated direct percutaneous exposures to blood  Injection drug use  Most acute cases are asymptomatic  Chronic cases progress to cirrhosis or primary liver cancer  Concurrent alcohol use significantly increases progression of disease

HCV  There is no vaccine for HCV  Best prevented by following Standard/Universal Precautions  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  Handwashing

HIV  The human retrovirus known to cause Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)  Primary transmission via sex, injection drug use and perinatally  Symptoms  Flu-like symptoms initially then can become dormant (not active)

Exposure  Report  Per departmental reporting policy  Lab testing  Per OSHA recommendations  Post exposure treatment to prevent or inhibit infection  Per exposure protocol

Standard Precautions  Fundamental concept:  All blood or body fluids are treated as potentially infectious  Helps to prevent contact with blood or Other Potentially Infectious Material (OPIM)  PPE  Gloves, goggles, mask, hand washing

Summary Questions?