Blood Borne Infections AIDS & HEPATITIS B Prevention for Healthcare Workers There is others out there!

BLOODBORNE INFECTIONS AIDS - caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Limits the ability of the body to fight off infection. May be in the body a long time before symptoms develop

AIDS Symptoms fever aches swollen glands sore throat diarrhea fatigue rash

AIDS What happens when the HIV-infected person develops AIDS? Have trouble fighting off infections Weight loss, frequent diarrhea, long-lasting fever May effect brain- confusion, memory loss, depression, or motor dysfunction

AIDS Serious infections, such as tuberculosis or an unusual kind of pneumonia Type of cancer or a serious infection eventually leads to death

Treatment for AIDS There are drugs (AZT) which may delay onset of symptoms, there is no cure.

HEPATITIS B HBV - the virus which causes hepatitis B About one-third of those infected do not experience symptoms Another third experience only a mild flu- like illness that goes away The last third experience abdominal pain, nausea, and fatigue. The skin and eyes may become yellow in color (jaundice)

Hepatitis B symptoms (continued) The urine may become dark Joint pain, rash and fever Severe case of hepatitis B can lead to death About 6-10% of those infected with HBV become chronic carriers. They may or may not have an active infection but they can still transmit the disease to others.

Hepatitis B Carriers are at risk for chronic active hepatitis - a disease that affects the liver and can lead to serious illness and death. Carriers are also at risk for liver cancer More than 2% of all individuals infected with HBV will die as a result

Prevention of Hepatitis B There is an effective vaccine to prevent the infection. Taken in a series of 3 injections. The second is taken one month following the first, the third taken six months following the second injection. Treatment given following the exposure to prevent HBV infection in those not vaccinated.

OCCUPATIONAL RISK OF AIDS & HEPATITIS B For AIDS, the risk for workplace infection is very small As of December 1995, out of about 5 million healthcare workers in the U.S., 49 workers had been documented as infected with HIV through occupational exposure Most cause by puncture wounds with contaminated needles or other sharps.

Risk of Hepatitis B Much Greater The risk for Hepatitis B is not small as is AIDS About 9000 U.S. healthcare workers get hepatitis B from occupational exposure each year. Between are hospitalized About 200 die as a result There are almost 1 million carriers