National Infection Prevention and Control Manual
Appendix 15 – Key Infections from HSE Guidance “Controlling the risks
of infection at work from Human Remains”.
Infection
Causative agent
Can hygienic
Can
preparation*
embalming
be carried
be carried
out?
out?
Intestinal infections: Transmitted by hand-to-mouth contact with faecal material or faecally contaminated
objects
Dysentery (bacillary) Bacterium – Shigella
Advised
Yes
Yes
Yes
dysenteriae
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A virus
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Typhoid/ paratyphoid Bacterium – Salmonella Advised
Yes
Yes
Yes
typhi/ paratyphi
fever
Blood-borne infections: Transmitted by contact with blood (and other body fluids which may be
contaminated with blood) via a skin-penetrating injury or via broken skin. Through splashes of blood (and
other body fluids which may be contaminated with blood) to eyes, nose and mouth
HIV
Human
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
immunodeficiency virus
Hepatitis B and C
Hepatitis B and C
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
viruses
Respiratory infections: Transmitted by breathing in infectious respiratory discharges
Tuberculosis
Bacterium –
Advised
Yes
Yes
Yes
Mycobacterium
tuberculosis
Bacteria – Neisseria
Meningococcal
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
meningitidis
meningitis (with or
without septicaemia)
Non-meningococcal
Various bacteria
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
including Haemophilus
meningitis
influenza and also
viruses
Diphtheria
Bacteria –
Advised
Yes
Yes
Yes
Corynebacterium
diphtheria
Contact: Transmitted by direct skin contact or contact with contaminated objects
Invasive Streptococcal Bacterium –
Yes
Yes
No
No
Streptococcus
infection
pyogenes (Group A)
MRSA
Bacterium –
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus
aureus
Other infections
Viral haemorrhagic
Various viruses, eg
Yes
No
No
No
fevers (transmitted by
Lassa fever virus,
contact with blood)
Ebola virus
Transmissible
Various prions, eg
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
spongiform
Creutzfeldt Jacob [sic]
encephalopathies
disease/variant CJD
(transmitted by
puncture wounds,
‘sharps’ injuries or
contamination of
broken skin, by
splashing of the
mucous membranes)
*“Hygienic preparation” refers to the washing and/or dressing of the deceased.
Health Protection Scotland (HPS)
Is a body
bag
needed?
Can the
body be
viewed?
Version 2.4. January 2015