Hepatitis B and C are serious bloodborne viral infections that can lead to significant liver damage, with Hepatitis B being preventable through vaccination and Hepatitis C often showing no symptoms in the majority of those infected. While these viruses can spread through direct contact with blood or by sharing personal items, they are not transmitted through casual contact such as sneezing, coughing, or sharing bathrooms. Both viruses present challenges in prevention and treatment, as there is no cure for Hepatitis B and chronic Hepatitis C may develop in many of those infected.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes the disease we call hepatitis B, a serious infection of the liver. The word “hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. Symptoms can include fever, jaundice, nausea, and abdominal pain, but it may take 1-9 months after exposure for symptoms to appear.
There is no cure for hepatitis B, and it can lead to cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. Over a million people in the United States are infected with HBV, and many develop antibodies to HBV, which helps them recover. HBV is a very durable virus, and it can survive in dried blood for up to seven days, making it a major concern for laundry or custodial workers. The hepatitis B vaccine, which is offered to all workers at risk for exposure, has dramatically reduced the number of new cases of HBV in healthcare staff.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
A highly detailed, black and white, 3D image of the Hepatitis C virus is shown, with its spherical shape clearly featured.
Hepatitis C is a common bloodborne virus.
Up to 80 percent of people who are infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which causes the disease hepatitis C, show no symptoms of the disease. Like HBV, HCV can cause serious damage to the liver and even be fatal. HCV is the most common bloodborne infection in the United States, and approximately 1/4 of the people who are infected recover without any treatment. Of the rest, many go on to have chronic infection, which can progress slowly for the first decade or two, producing no physical signs of illness.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, though it can take many years for HIV infection to develop into full-blown AIDS. HIV attacks the immune system, weakening it so that opportunistic infections can harm the body. People may show no signs when infected but may develop swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, or fatigue within a month or two of exposure. HIV is a fragile virus, not able to survive for long outside the human body, but because there is no known cure for this debilitating disease, extreme caution to prevent exposure is warranted.
Other diseases can spread in a healthcare setting through bloodborne transmission, but they are much less prevalent. There have been cases of transmission from patient contact of malaria, tuberculosis, and herpes. Laboratory and autopsy technicians have a wider range of possible diseases that have had bloodborne transmission, though all are relatively rare instances.
How Bloodborne Diseases Spread
Bloodborne pathogens can spread in a number of ways, including direct contact with blood or sexual contact. Using unclean needles for acupuncture, drug use, or tattooing can transmit the pathogens. Sharing personal items like toothbrushes, razors, and nail clippers with an infected person has transmitted the pathogens in some cases. In a residential setting, frequent close contact with someone who has hepatitis B can cause transmission.
What actions don’t spread bloodborne infections? Sharing a drinking fountain, a toilet, or a shower with an infected person does not transmit bloodborne pathogens. Touching an infected person does not cause infection. Sneezing or coughing cannot spread a bloodborne pathogen.
When it comes to the transmission and treatment of diseases caused by bloodborne pathogens, there is a lot of misinformation floating around. Distinguish between fact and fallacy about the transmission and treatment of diseases caused by bloodborne pathogens, specifically Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Write in 3 sentences using the text above in your own words.
1 answer
1 answer