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What is a bloodborne disease?

Exposure to bloodborne pathogens can occur through many mechanisms: needle sticks, being splashed with blood or body fluids on the mucous membranes (the mouth, eyes, and nose), even in some cases human bites (although the risk of transmission via human bite is extremely low).  However, contact with bloodborne pathogens falls into two main categories:

• Direct - via an open lesion on the skin or mucous membrane.
• Indirect - via contact with a resevoir via an inanimate object (Fomite)

A Fomite is almost anything an infected individual (or resevoir) can touch, upon which can be left a residue of contagious pathogen.  Exceptions to this include various inanimates referred to as vehicles (food, air, liquids).

Bloodborne Pathogens can enter the body through:

• Blood

Other potentially infectious materials (OPIMs), such as:

• Body Fluids
• Amniotic Fluid
• Semen
• Vaginal Fluids

Common bloodborne diseases:

• Hepatitis B (HBV)
• Hepatitis C (the smallest of the bloodborne pathogens)
• Hepatitis D
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Hepatitis B (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are the two most common bloodborne pathogens.

Pathogens can enter the body through three primary routes:

• mucous membranes
• skin
• parenteral

Mucous membrane portal of entry:

• the respiratory tract
• the gastrointestinal tract
• the genitourinary tract
• the eyes

Skin portal of entry:

• Normally impenetrable to most microorganisms, it can serve as a efficient portal of entry when broken.

Parenteral portal of entry:

• Direct deposit of pathogens into body cavities or wounds.