BIOHAZARD

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• BIOHAZARD

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Biohazard Defined

• Those infectious agents presenting a risk of
  death, injury or illness to employees.

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Two Main Infectious Agents

• Viruses
• Smallest infectious organisms
• Take over cells, including reproductive
  mechanisms, and multiply inside of host cells
• Few viral infections can be treated with
  anti-viral drugs
• Bacteria
• Single-celled microorganisms
• Produce toxins that damage cells
• Most bacteria can be treated with drugs

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Infectious Disease

• Developed complacency in 2ND half of 20th century
  because of successful medications vaccinations
• Est. 17 million a year pass away from diseases
• Bacteria viruses develop mechanisms to resist
  drugs
• They survive and continue to multiply
• Antibiotics or antiviral medications either kill
  or inhibit growth
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  recommends using antibiotics only when needed

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Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• CDC focuses on disease prevention and control,
  health promotion and education activities,
  environmental health
• Is the leading federal agency for health
  safety, since 1946, and is an agency of the Dept.
  of Health Human Services
• Excellent source for information about diseases
• www.cdc.gov

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Main Concerns Today

• TB
• HIV

• AIDS
• Hepatitis

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Tuberculosis (TB)

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis, slow growing organism
• Not as easy to transmit as the common cold,
  contracted likely from family friends
• Breathing in respirable size water droplets in
  the air containing the TB virus via coughing,
  sneezing, talking, etc.
• If droplet nuclei reach the alveoli an infection
  develops

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History of TB

• Until mid 1800s, was thought to be hereditary
• 1865 Frenchman Jean-Antoine Villenin proved TB is
  contagious
• 1882 German scientist Robert Koch discovered the
  bacteria that causes the TB disease
• Until the 1940s 1950s people that could
  afford it were put in sanatoriums

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TB History cont.,

• In 1943 American scientist Seman Woksman
  discovered Streptomycin drug to kill the TB
  bacteria
• Between 1943 1952 two more drugs discovered,
  people were being cured
• By mid 1970s sanatoriums were closed
• Since 1980s TB is returning, building a
  resistance to current drugs

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TB Today

• In 1995, TB killed more than 3 million people
  worldwide
• Believed to be 2 billion carriers worldwide

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TB Stages

• 1) Latent dormant, virus becomes active at
  later stage if untreated, detected by tuberculin
  skin test
• Treatment Isoniazide (9 months), Rifenpin (2
  months)
• 2) Active contagious, shows up on chest x-ray
• Treatment isolation for 1st 2 weeks until chest
  x-ray is clear, medication for 9-12 months
• People who have Latent TB are not infectious

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TB Risks Problems

• People who are at high risks of contracting TB
• A.I.D.S H.I.V.
• Diabetics alcoholics
• People living in high population facilities
• Smokers (pipe, cigarettes, cigars, marajuana,
  etc.)
• TB problems in immigration areas of U.S., people
  coming from former Soviet Union, etc.
• Not treated
• Mistreated
• Dont take the medications

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Blood borne Pathogens

• Microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria that
  are carried in blood and cause disease

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Sources of Infection

• Items caked with dried blood (PPE)
• Sharps needles, scalpels, broken glass, etc.
• Body fluids semen, vaginal secretions, saliva,
  etc.
• Pathological and microbiological wastes
• Others eyes, mouth, cuts in skin, body openings
• Careless behaviors

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Sources of Infection cont.,
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Sources of Infection cont.,
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Human immunodeficiency virus (H.I.V.)

• Attacks breaks down the bodys immune system
• Detected by screening test called ELISA,
  confirmed by Western Blot test, which is 98
  accurate
• Can take from 6-8 weeks to several months to
  develop antibodies that are detectable in tests
• Can take up to 10 years for symptoms to develop,
  some much sooner

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HIV Infection
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HIV cont.,

• How spread and/or contracted
• sexual intercourse, transfusions, hypodermic
  needles, mucous or broken skin sites
• At risk employees
• health care workers, public safety (police, fire
  personnel, etc.)

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Stages of HIV Disease

• 1) Flu-like symptoms fever, headaches, fatigue,
  etc.
• 2) After anti-bodies develop, immune system
  body tissues begin to become damaged
• 3) 1st usual symptoms appear swelling of the
  lymph glands in the throat, armpits, or groin
  areas
• 4) Serious damage develops yeast infections
  viral infections in anus genitals, other severe
  infections
• 5) AIDS develops

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Overview History of AIDS

• 1926 Scientists believe HIV spread from monkeys
  to humans between 1926 1946
• 1959 The first proven AIDS death was a Congo
  man
• 1978 Gay men in U.S., Sweden and Haiti begin
  showing signs of AIDS
• 1980 31 deaths in U.S. from AIDS
• 1982 CDC links the disease to blood, President
  Reagan hasnt recognized AIDS yet

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AIDS History cont.,

• 1987 Reagan acknowledges AIDS, V.P. Bush is
  ridiculed calling for mandatory testing (gay
  disease)
• 1988 107,000 diagnosed cases of AIDS in U.S.,
  about half of those died
• 1993 About 250,000 people have died from AIDS
  since 1980 in the U.S.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

• AIDS is the last stage of the HIV disease
• White blood cell count is below 200 per
  milliliter
• Presence of a severe condition or infection
  develops
• Basically waste away, no current cure for AIDS

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Symptoms of AIDS

• Thrush white coating around mouth, tongue
• Rapid weight loss
• Severe diarrhea
• Abnormal bruising

• Discolored and/or bleeding growths
• Deep, dry coughing
• Fevers and night sweats
• Personality changes

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AIDS Statistics

• 36 million currently living with HIV/AIDS
  worldwide
• 22 million have passed away since the beginning
• Last year (2000), 3 million people passed away

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Hepatitis

• Inflammation of the liver disease
• Types A, B, C, D, E
• A, B, C viruses most common

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Hepatitis A Virus (HAV)

• Food borne
• Preventable
• Vaccine available, 3 series shot

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HAV cont.,

• HAV virus found in stool of persons infected
• Usually spread by mouth
• Found in poor sanitary conditions, or where
  personal hygiene is not good
• HAV is also found in drinking water and water
  supplies where stool feces is mixed in

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People at Risk for HAV infections

• Travelers
• Share household with someone infected with HAV
• People who eat in public
• Men who have sex with other men
• Children
• Healthcare professions

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Symptoms Prevention for HAV

• Eyes turn yellow, dark urine, fatigue, loss of
  appetite, nausea, vomiting, etc.
• Is most contagious in person before symptoms
  appear
• Can get Immune Globulin vaccine

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Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

• Blood-borne, not food-borne like HAV
• HBV can be a lifelong infection
• Is preventable with vaccine, but it is not
  curable once contracted
• Symptoms (6 weeks to 6 months) fever, chills,
  joint muscle pain, abdominal cramps, Jaundice,
  abdominal cramps
• HBV Can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death
• Killed more than a million people in 1995

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Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)

• Related to types A B
• Blood-borne
• Ranks 2nd to alcoholics for liver damage, alcohol
  speeds up progression
• New, 1992 was the main discovery period, need
  more time to research
• No current medication, no cure, leads to early
  death
• Interfuron can help some cases

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Outcomes for A, B, C viruses

• Type A preventable, curable
• Type B preventable, incurable
• Type C no vaccine, incurable

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Suggestions for Types A, B or C

• Stop drinking alcoholic beverages
• Avoid medications that are at risk to liver
  damage
• Eat well, exercise, and rest

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Other Infectious Diseases

• Whooping Cough
• Develop a series of short, convulsive coughs
  followed by a whoop
• Measles
• Develop small red spots, fever and flu-like
  symptoms
• Cholera
• A severe, contagious infection in the small
  intestine
• Salmonella
• Causes food poisoning

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Global Outlook on Public Health

• Population increases
• Increased of environmental and political
  refugees
• Biospheres life-support systems have been
  disrupted
• Increased private cars emitting toxins
• Increased worldwide travel, helps spread disease

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Regulations

• Applies to one or more employees
• Bloodborne Pathogens - 29 CFR 1910.1030
• Exposure Control Plan, required by OSHA
• Requires employers to identify in writing where
  occupational exposures to blood occurs
• Recordkeeping
• Medical records of an employee who sustained an
  occupational exposure related to Biohazards, must
  be kept for the term of employment plus 30 years
• Hazard Communication WAC 296-62-054

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Worker Protection

• Wash hands thoroughly with antiseptic soap
• Wear appropriate PPE
• Gloves, gowns, masks, mouthpieces, etc.
• Cover exposed cuts, abrasions, wounds, etc.
• Remove PPE without touching contamination
• Decontaminate work surfaces with appropriate
  disinfectant
• Biohazard warning labels
• Flourescent orange or orange-red
• Red bags or containers appropriate substitutes

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Disposal or Cleaning of Contaminated Materials

• Clothing should be washed at 160 F or higher for
  at least 25 minutes
• Store used sharps in puncture resistant,
  leak-proof container

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Biohazard Symbols
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Sources of Information

• Ann Riley Director of Health Department
• Randy Kaiser Safety and Health at Hospital
• Class Text
• Pamphlets at Red Cross Office
• Internet websites
• Other books at CWU Library