What are Bloodborne Pathogens and How Do They Spread?

Bloodborne pathogens are diseases and germs spread through blood or blood-containing materials such as saliva, vomit or sneeze droplets. Although people who come in contact with contaminated blood may not experience short-term illnesses or symptoms, these diseases can sometimes lead to death if not identified and treated as soon as possible.

What are bloodborne pathogens?

Bloodborne pathogens include hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Some of the symptoms and long-term effects of hepatitis B and C include:

Yellowing of the skin or whites of eyes
Feeling tired
Pain in abdomen
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Damage to the liver

Some symptoms and possible long-term effects of HIV are:

Extreme unexplained fatigue
Poor appetite with rapid weight loss
Unexplained fever
Swollen glands
Increased risk of other diseases
Development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)

It’s also important to note that exposure to bloodborne pathogens doesn’t automatically mean you’ll become sick. If a small amount of a pathogen comes into contact with your blood, your body may be able to fight it off. However, it’s still important to seek proper medical care to reduce your risk of sickness.

How do bloodborne pathogens spread?

Bloodborne pathogens can spread via blood or blood-containing materials such as saliva, vomit or sneeze droplets. To spread, blood and blood-containing materials don't necessarily have to be on a live object. They can also be on furniture, walls or other objects commonly found in the workplace. The two most common ways for bloodborne pathogens to enter the body are:

being punctured with a needle or other sharp object that has come into contact with infected blood, or
blood-containing materials coming in contact with an individual’s eyes, nose, mouth or another opening or cut in his or her skin.

Healthcare professionals and the general public are at risk for being exposed to bloodborne pathogens and even contracting bloodborne diseases in their workplaces if proper prevention measures aren’t taken.

Because you can’t tell simply by looking at a person’s blood if he or she is infected with bloodborne pathogens, you must exercise “universal precautions,” which means treating all blood and blood-containing materials as though they do actually contain bloodborne pathogens.

Training in bloodborne pathogens can help healthcare professionals and the average individual learn the importance of exercising “universal precaution,” and understand the proper methods of handling these potentially dangerous situations.

Health Ed Solutions offers a bloodborne pathogens training online course, as well as other courses, including first aid certification online and CPR and AED certification online. These courses are designed for both initial certification and recertification.

The information included in this article is based on the 2020 guidelines for CPR, first aid and advanced cardiovascular care. Read more about the 2020 first aid guidelines.