Infection Control Today Magazine

Bloodborne Pathogens

OSHA Most Frequently Cites ASCs for Bloodborne Pathogen Violations

Although more than half of the surgeries in the U.S. are performed inambulatory care centers, ambulatory surgery center (ASC) resources and safety oversight may lag significantly behind those of their hospital counterparts. In the past four years, the Occupational Safety ...More
November 1, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens
Occupational Exposures to Blood and Body Fluids Remain Common Despite Safety Devices, Education

Amy M. Treakle, MD, an infectious diseases and infection control expert at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and colleagues, sought to analyze a decade of hospital staff and student exposures to blood and body fluids (BBF) and to identify risk factors ...More
October 7, 2011
Posted in News, Infections & Pathogens
PA Patient Safety Authority Examines Unsafe Injection Practices

The June issue of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority Advisory includes a look at the occurrence of bloodborne disease transmission related to unsafe injection practices. Lapses in basic safe injection practices and infection control expose patients to needless risk ...More
June 1, 2011
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions
Senate Hearing Examines Mismanagement and Unhygienic Practices at Dayton VA Medical Center

Members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee heard testimony this week regarding lapses in leadership and unhygienic practices at the Dayton VA Medical Center’s dental clinic, where a dentist did not sterilize surgical instruments nor change gloves between patients and ...More
May 5, 2011
Posted in News, Disinfection & Sterilization, PPE & Standard Precautions
BD Launches 'Making Safety Safer' Campaign

Healthcare workers now have the ability to better identify risks for exposure to bloodborne pathogens, take precautions to better protect themselves, and share information and experiences as a result of a new program developed by BD Medical, a segment of BD (Becton, ...More
May 4, 2011
Posted in News
Hypodermic Needle Puncture Resistance Standard Developed by ASTM Protective Clothing Committee

Due to risk of infection from bloodborne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C, hypodermic needlesticks pose a life-safety risk to healthcare professionals, law enforcement officials, sanitation workers and others. A new ASTM International ...More
March 15, 2011
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions
Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Tops AOHP's List of HCW Concerns

On behalf of healthcare professionals nationwide, the Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP) conducted a member survey in August 2010 to identify healthcare workers’ top issues and concerns. AOHP has released its 2011-2013 Public Policy ...More
February 25, 2011
Posted in News
Social and Cultural Factors Impact Hygiene in Healthcare Facilities

Pascale Hancart-Petitet, of the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge in Phnom Penh Cambodia, and colleagues, say that the frequency of bloodborne pathogen-related healthcare-associated infections is thought to be high in developing Southeast Asian countries but that the underlying ...More
February 7, 2011
Posted in News, Environmental Hygiene
On The Road with Pre-Hospital Infection Control

Like other healthcare professionals, emergency medical service (EMS) personnel face the growing number of multidrug-resistant organisms. In addition to protecting themselves from possible infection, EMS providers must ensure that their vehicles and equipment are adequately ...More
January 20, 2011
Posted in Articles, Environmental Hygiene
Military Healthcare Workers Get Access to Advanced Protective Fluid Barrier

There is no doubt that military healthcare professionals work in challenging environments. In medical facilities or on the ground, they are exposed to a considerable amount of blood and other bodily fluid splashes. The Journal of Trauma Injury Infection & Critical Care ...More
January 18, 2011
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions