Bloodborne Pathogens Flashcards
What are bloodborne pathogens?
microorganisms found in human blood, examples include:
hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV
How is HBV transmitted?
needles, sex, body fluid contact
Which HBV marker indicates an active infection?
HBsAg
What does IgG against HBs mean?
clears the virus
What does IgG against HBc mean?
infected with HBV
What does IgG against all HBV markers mean?
full recovery
What are the Hepatitis B markers?
HBsAg, Anti-HBc, Anti-HBs, Anti-HBe, HBeAg
How many Americans are infected by HBV a year?
12 million Americans (1 in 20)
How infectious is HBV?
very, 10% of infected people become infectious for life (active carriers)
What are the symptoms of HBV? What are the fractions (no symptoms, flu-like, severe)
What may HBV lead to? (think what is HEPATITIS)
jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea
-1/3 no symptoms, 1/3 flu-like, 1/3 severe
liver cancer, chronic liver disease, death
For how long can HBV survive in dried blood?
up to 1 week
What is a fact about Hepatitis C?
it is the most common bloodborne infection in the US, it affects 4x more people than HIV
How long is HCV asymptomatic?
10-20 years
What percent of people that had HCV are carriers (infectious for life)?
90%
Is there a vaccine for HCV?
No
How is HCV transmitted?
IV drug use
unsafe medical procedures
-unsterile instruments
-reused needles
-needle sticks or cuts
What is the treatment success with HCV?
45% (HCV1) to 75% (HCV2/3)
What is the number 1 cause of liver transplant in the US?
HCV
When is the HIV risk the highest?
with needle stick or mucus membrane contact
-100X less than risk of HBV infection via needlestick
How many people are currently living with HIV?
> 1.1 million (outdated info)
What are some other examples of bloodborne pathogens?
(another type of hepatitis, a mosquito disease, prion brain disease)
HDV, syphilis, malaria, relapsing fever, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
What are some other things to be exposed to?
(human stuff, animal stuff)
human blood fluids, unfixed tissue/human organs, cultures, experimental animal blood/tissues/organs infected with HIV or HBV
What are the four ways for bloodborne pathogens to be spread?
direct contact, indirect contact, respiratory transmission, vector-borne transmission
How does exposure occur?
needlesticks, cuts from other contaminated sharps, contact of mucous or broken skin with contaminated blood or OPIM (OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS)
What are occupations at risk?
first responders, housekeeping personnel, nurses
What are occupations at risk?
first responders, housekeeping personnel, nurses/doctors
The CDC estimates that ___ million workers are at risk for bloodborne infections?
5.6
What are the three required elements of an Exposure Control Plan (ECP)?
exposure determination, schedule and method of implementation, procedure for evaluation of exposure incidents
How often should one review and update an ECP?
Annually, or when new tasks/procedures are introduced
What are three work practice controls? (use safer, use ___ containers, use _____ hygiene)
use safer medical devices, use sharps disposal containers, use hand hygiene
What are some examples of PPE?
gloves, masks, aprons/smocks, face shields, mouthpieces, CPR pocket masks
What are the responsibilities of the employer?
PERFORM ___
IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE ___
TRAIN ___
MAINTAIN __
REVIEW ___
perform hazard assessment, identify and provide appropriate PPE, train employees, maintain PPE, review PPE program
How do you control exposures?
select good, safe PPE
do required PPE training (when PPE is necessary, what kind is necessary, how to properly use it, how to care for it)
Do you pick up broken glass with your hands?
No. Mechanical means (tongs)
How to hand wash?
wash hands immediately after removing PPE, even if not visibly contaminated - 20-30 seconds
-use a soft antibacterial soap
-a hand sanitizer can be used, but wash with soap and water as soon as possible afterward
-wet hands with warm, running water, apply soap, lather well
-rub hands vigorously for 20-30 seconds
-scrub backs of hands, wrists, between fingers and under fingernails
-rinse well, dry hands with a disposable towel
-use the towel to turn off faucet
How do you do proper clean-up and contamination?
what solution do you use? how long do you leave the solution on the surface?
-clean surfaces with 10% bleach solutions or other EPA-approved disinfectant
-do an initial wipe up
-spray with disinfectant and allow it to stand for 10 minutes, then wipe up
-dispose of all wipes and use PPE in biohazard containers
How do you dispose regulated waste?
in closable, leak-proof red or biohazard labelled bags
Who should a hepatitis B vaccine be given to?
offered to ___
provided at no cost (within ___ days)
____ form
offered to all potentially exposed employees, provided at no cost to employees (within 10 days of exposure), declination form
Are there vaccinations for hepatitis C or HIV?
No.
What are three immediate actions to be undertaken after an exposure incident and in what order?
(WASH ___, CONTACT ___ AND COMPLETE ____ , TREAT ALL ____)
wash exposed area with soap and water, flush splashes of water to skin/nose/mouth, irrigate eyes with water and saline
CONTACT EMPLOYER, COMPLETE ACCIDENT REPORT
TREAT ALL FLUIDS/BLOOD AS POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS
What is the #1 mode of transmission of bloodborne pathogens?
accidental needlestick
What is estimated survival on a surface of HBV, HCV, HIV?
HBV: 7 days
HCV: 16 hours - 4 days
HIV: few hours
What is the risk of picking up bloodborne pathogens from a surface?
low risk if standard precautions are practiced
What is the risk of infection after a positive needlestick?
HBV - 30% if unvaccinated
HCV - 2%
HIV - 0.3%
What must sharps disposal containers be?
closable, puncture resistant, leakproof, labelled
Should you ever use 2 hands to recap a needle?
no
What do signs and labels do?
communicate ___
place regulated waste in containers with a _____
labels communicate a hazard
place regulated waste in containers that have universal biohazard symbol
What happens in an exposure incident?
contact with _____
wash ____
report ____
____ are offered
an incident of contact with potentially infectious bodily fluid
–must have infiltration of skin surface, mucous membranes or open skin break to be considered an occupational exposure
-wash contact area thoroughly
-report all accidents involving blood or bodily fluids
-post-exposure medical evaluations are offered
What happens after exposure incident?
medical ___
document ____
identify ____ and test ___
provide results to _____
medical evaluation, document the route of exposure, identify the source individual and test their blood, provide results to exposed employee
Is the hepatitis B good?
YES!!!!
strongly endorsed by medical communities
offered to all at risk employees
provided at no cost to employees
How do you protect yourself?
review ECP AND OSHA regulations,
take standard precautions & PPE,
no eating/drinking,
get the HBV contamination
Is an uncapped syringe sharps exposure?
Yes
What is the universal precautions method?
a method of infection control where all OPIM are handled if they are known to be infectious
What programs can employers misuse against workers in retaliation for reporting injuries?
disciplinary programs, drug-testing, incentive programs
