Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria that are carried in blood and can cause disease in people. There are many different bloodborne pathogens including malaria, syphilis, and brucellosis, and most notably hepatitis C (HCV)) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV can be transmitted through contact with infected human blood and other potentially infectious body fluids such as:
- Semen
- Vaginal secretions
- Cerebrospinal fluid
- Synovial fluid
- Pleural fluid
- Peritoneal fluid
- Amniotic fluid
- Saliva (in dental procedures), and
- Any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood.
It is important to know the ways exposure and transmission are most likely to occur in your particular situation, be it providing first aid to a student in the classroom, handling blood samples in the laboratory, or cleaning up blood from a hallway.
Hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV are most commonly transmitted through:
- Sexual Contact
- Sharing of hypodermic needles
- From mothers to their babies at/before birth
- Accidental puncture from contaminated needles, broken glass, or other sharps
- Contact between broken or damaged skin and infected body fluids
- Contact between mucous membranes and infected body fluids
Accidental puncture from contaminated needles and other sharps can result in transmission of bloodborne pathogens.
Most people can eat any food they can buy in the store, as long as it is properly prepared. However, some people have weakened immune systems, and they can get sick even from eating foods that are prepared in a safe manner. The government works with the food industry to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. But there are some foods that are just more 'risky' than others, particularly for certain groups of people
Who is most at risk?
There are several groups of people who have weakened or undeveloped immune systems. These include:
- elderly people;
- people with AIDS
- cancer
- diabetes, or kidney disease;
- people who are being treated with immuno-supressing medications;
- very young children (under 2);
- pregnant women and their unborn or newborn babies
What foods should these people be careful about?
1. You should always cook raw animal foods, such as beef, pork, poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.) and fish.
2. Do not drink unpasteurized milk, or eat uncooked eggs.
Health protection agencies also recommend that people who are at risk avoid the following foods:
Deli meats (including uncooked hot dogs):
Some deli meats and hot dogs are not cooked, so it is possible that some harmful germs may survive the preparation process. You can reduce the risk of deli meats and hot dogs by just not eating them, or by cooking them thoroughly before you eat them.
Soft Cheeses
Soft cheeses, such as Camembert, Brie, blue veined cheese and Mexican style cheeses (Queso blanco) have sometimes made people with weak immune systems sick. Hard cheeses, processed cheeses, cream cheese and cottage cheese are not dangerous.
Uncooked Sprouts
Sprout seeds (bean sprouts, radish sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, and others) may carry germs that can make you sick. These germs keep growing while the seeds are sprouting. Several outbreaks of food poisoning have been reported in recent years from eating sprouts. Sprouts that have been cooked are not risky.
Uncooked Shellfish
Dangerous germs may be found in the waters where shellfish are caught, particularly in the warm summer months. These organisms tend to build up in bivalve shellfish (like clams and oysters) because of the way these animals feed. People at increased risk of illness should not eat undercooked or raw bivalve shellfish.
Liver Pate
Liver pate has been linked to illness outbreaks. If you have a weakened immune system, you should not eat this food.
Unpasteurized Fruit Juices/Ciders
Unpasteurized fruit juices/ciders have caused outbreaks of food poisoning outbreaks in recent years (including Cryptosporidiosis, Salmonella and E. coli). People at risk should not drink unpasteurized juice, or else bring it to a boil first before you drink it.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
People with weakened immune systems should also cook fruits and vegetables, particularly if they are grown in or on the ground. Even people who are not at higher risk of food poisoning should wash or peel their fruits and vegetables before they eat them. Peeled fruits and vegetables (like bananas and oranges) are less risky than fruits and vegetables which are not peeled before eating. Take special care when washing fruits and vegetables such as parsley or lettuce, which are harder to clean thoroughly than fruits and vegetables with smooth skins.
The BCCDC conducts surveillance, investigations, and studies of viral diseases to define disease etiology and to develop effective methods for prevention, diagnosis, and control by doing the following:
- conducts or participates in clinical, field, and laboratory research to develop, evaluate, and improve laboratory methods and materials and therapeutic practices used for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of viral diseases;
- conducts research on virus transmission to develop effective control strategies and on vaccine effectiveness to assess prevention potential;
- conducts ecological studies to develop effective disease prevention and control measures of viral, rickettsial, and zoonotic infections;
- provides epidemic aid and epidemiologic consultation, upon request, to state and local health authorities, other Federal agencies, and national and international health organizations;
- provides reference/diagnostic services for viral and rickettsial diseases to state and local health authorities, other agencies
