Nursing Assistant
Chapter 8: Bloodborne and
Airborne Pathogens
BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Bloodborne Transmission
• Bloodborne pathogen
• A disease-producing microbe that is
transmitted to another person through blood
or other body fluid
• Body fluid
• Liquid or semi-liquid substances produced by
the body
• Blood, urine, feces, vomitus, saliva, drainage
from wounds, sweat, semen, vaginal
secretions, tears, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic
fluid, and breast milk
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• One or more of these fluids must enter the
bloodstream of a person who is not infected for
infection to occur
• Needlesticks
• Cuts from contaminated, broken glass
• Direct contact between infected blood and
broken skin, mucous membranes, or the eyes
• Sexual intercourse
• Blood transfusions
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Most common diseases caused by bloodborne
pathogens:
• Hepatitis B, C, and D
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which
causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
(AIDS)
• Malaria
• Syphilis
• Ebola
• Of these, hepatitis and HIV pose the greatest
potential risk to health care workers
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Inflammation of the liver
• Most commonly caused by viral infection
• May also be caused by chemicals
• Effects the liver’s ability to function
• Can be fatal
• Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)
• NOT a bloodborne pathogen
• Transmitted through oral-fecal route
• Virus lives in digestive tract
• Infection usually through contaminated
food or water
• Illness usually acute and persons fully
recover
• Vaccine available
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
• Bloodborne pathogen
• Serious threat to health care worker
• Found in blood and other bodily fluids
• Transmitted through blood products,
across placenta from mother, through
sexual intercourse
• Most common for HCW is needlestick
injuries, cuts from contaminated objects,
exposure of broken skin to contaminated7
BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
• Infection causes acute illness in most
people
• Some can be carriers without symptoms
but still can transmit to other people
• 5% to 10% of HBV infections can become
chronic and have flare-ups every so often
• Vaccination available (Free to HCW per
OSHA)
• HCW should receive vaccine (some
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
• Most common cause of chronic viral
hepatitis
• Frequent with blood transfusions prior to
1992
• Risk much lower than HBV
• 40% of infections with no obvious route
found
• 20% develop end stage cirrhosis
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• Leading cause for liver transplants
BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis
• Hepatitis D (HDV)
• Only found in people with HBV infection
• Hepatitis E (HEV)
• Not bloodborne
• Oral-fecal route
• Most common in countries with poor
sanitation
• No vaccine available
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• HIV/AIDS
• Human immunodeficiency virus
• Causes acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome
• Effects T cells
• Special white blood cells that play a role in
immune response by invading pathogens
• Two types of T cells
• One type recognizes pathogens
• One type produces substances that cause
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foreign cells to burst
BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• HIV/AIDS
• T cells are main target of HIV
• Uses T cells to make copies of HIV
• Also invades cells that make new T cells
• Causes body to make T cells that do not
recognize pathogens
• Eventually patients develop AIDS
• No cure or vaccine
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BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Protecting Yourself from Bloodborne Diseases
• Standard Precautions
• You will come into contact with body fluids
that carry these pathogens
• Not easily identify who has these pathogens
• Must treat each patient we come in contact
with like they are infected with a bloodborne
pathogen
• If standard precautions are followed your risk
of infections is higher outside work
• Your behavior outside of the workplace can
put you at a much higher risk for bloodborne
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disease
BLOODBORNE DISEASES
• Protecting Yourself from Bloodborne Diseases
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
• Your safety at work is a shared responsibility
• You are responsible for following standard
precautions
• Your employer is responsible for making
sure you have the equipment and training
necessary to maintain your safety
• Any facility that does not follow the standard
may risk heavy fines and serious penalties
• If you have an exposure and are not following
standard precautions, worker’s comp may not
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treat you
AIRBORNE DISEASES
• Airborne Transmittal
• Airborne pathogens are pathogens transmitted
through the air
• Leave the body through particles of saliva or
sputum
• They dry out and remain in the air for a long time
• In the air we breathe and surfaces we touch
• Infection spreads when a person breathes in the
air containing the pathogens
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AIRBORNE DISEASES
• Airborne Transmittal
• Examples:
• Measles
• Chicken pox
• SARS
• Smallpox
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• No vaccine for TB
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AIRBORNE DISEASES
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• An infection caused by bacterium
• Usually infects the lungs, but may infect the
kidneys or bones as well
• Most likely to get infected are people who have
frequent close contact with an infected person
• People with the disease may have it for years
before symptoms appear
• In the early 1900’s it was called “consumption”
• Slowly caused wasting effect on patient
• Patients sent to sanatoriums
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AIRBORNE DISEASES
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• In early 1950’s antibiotic was developed
• Disease almost destroyed
• Resurgence in the mid 1980’s and now
• Strains have become resistant to antibiotics
• People with immunodeficiency syndromes
• More travel to and from developing nations
• Poor, crowded, urban areas
• Treatment takes a long time with many different
antibiotics
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AIRBORNE DISEASES
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• PPD test (purified protein derivative)
• If positive, chest X-ray needed
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AIRBORNE DISEASES
• Protecting Yourself from Airborne Diseases
• Airborne Precautions
• N-95 respirator
• Fit test
• Gloves
• Gown
• Eye Protection
• Negative Pressure Isolation
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