On this page: Background | Educational Resources | Setting-Specific Resources
Background
A bloodborne pathogen (BBP) is a type of bacteria or virus. It is spread by contact with an infected person's blood or other infectious body fluids. Examples of diseases caused by BBP include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV).
You could be exposed to bloodborne pathogens by:
- Receiving contaminated blood or blood products
- Sharing needles (including needles used during tattooing or body piercings)
- Having unprotected sexual contact
In healthcare or residential settings, you could be exposed to bloodborne pathogens by:
- Healthcare personnel practicing unsafe injection practices
- Having contact with contaminated equipment such as:
- Blood glucose monitoring devices
- Podiatry equipment
- Any other device that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected
Educational Resources
- Germs Can Live in Blood
- HIV and Occupational Exposure
- Sharps Safety Program Workbook
- Viral Hepatitis Exposure Risk Among Healthcare Providers
- Project Firstline - CDC’s Project Firstline provides innovative and accessible infection control education for all frontline healthcare workers.
- Bloodborne Pathogens and Blood Glucose Monitoring (presentation - Fall 2012)
- Injection Safety – Access this page for education and resources to prevent infection transmission during medical injections and assisted blood glucose monitoring procedures
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) – Access the IPC page for comprehensive guidance on infection prevention
- VDH / OSHA Bloodborne Exposure Control Plan (policy template – Fall 2012)
- Division of Disease Prevention – includes viral hepatitis and HIV surveillance, prevention, and testing resources
VDH Infection Prevention and Control Assessments: The HAI/AR team is available to conduct a no-cost, non-regulatory, onsite visit to help a facility identify its infection prevention strengths and areas of opportunity.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Bloodborne Pathogens Standard – federal regulation that states what employers must do to protect workers who may be occupationally exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials.
- Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (fact sheet)
- Hospital e-Tool: Bloodborne Pathogens module
Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group
- Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA) – search the education and training resource library for resources related to bloodborne pathogens
Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center
- Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center (VIPTC) – courses and trainings related to infection prevention and control
Setting-Specific Resources
CDC Interfacility Transfer Form - The patient transfer form helps make it easier to share information when patients are moved between different places for care. Hospitals and groups focused on making patient safety better can change and use this form to fit their needs.
Bloodborne pathogens resource specific to hospital settings:
View Hospitals homepage
Bloodborne pathogens resource specific to long-term care settings:
Assisted Living Facilities
- VDH OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for Assisted Living Facilities – in-service/presentation that can be used to fulfill requirement for training on the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Facilities that implement this in-service should add how employees should seek counseling and follow-up care if an occupational exposure occurs. (This training can be customized to other care settings) (May 2014)