Bloodborne pathogen exposures and prevention in the perioperative environment

The fear of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and disease transmission from patients to health care professionals or health care professional to patients is real. Perioperative nurses and other surgical personnel should be aware of the dangers and risks of exposure to these viruses. Patients may be infected with one of the currently recognized bloodborne viruses including Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is imperative that accidental exposure during surgical procedures be avoided. The most common means of exposure are percutaneous and mucous membrane routes. The persistence of HBV, HCV and HIV infections, long incubation periods, and the likelihood of frequent asymptomatic carrier states remain continuing threats to the surgical team and makes it difficult to rely on a diagnosis. Infection prevention and control strategies to reduce the risk of exposures and prevent transmission are based on a number of approaches including engineering, administrative and works practice controls and the proper selection and use of personal protective equipment.