Sharps Related Infections

Olusegun Soge (S.O.)

Postdoc, DEOHS

sogeo@uw.edu

November 13, 2009

Scenarios • A laboratory manager is contaminated with a large

amount of blood on an open cut while trying to help a student who has a deep cut from a pipette failure. The student is a hepatitis B carrier.

• A physician is splashed in the eye with hepatitis C

positive blood while seeing a trauma patient in the ER.

• A nurse accidentally sticks himself with large bore needle when a psychiatric patient with HIV unexpectedly moves away from him.

Learning Objectives• Define Bloodborne pathogens (BBPs)

• Describe the 3 main BBPs and how they are transmitted

• Describe the symptoms of bloodborne diseases

• Distinguish between Occupational Exposure and Exposure Incident

• Explain the main idea of universal precautions

• Explore ways to prevent occupational exposure to BBPs

Bloodborne Pathogens (BBPs)

Other Potentially Infectious Materials

Blood or

BBPs are pathogenic microorganisms that are present in

and can cause diseases in humans

‘Blood’ includes human blood, human blood components, products made from human blood, and also medications derived from blood (e.g., immune globulins, albumin, etc.).”

Other Potentially Infectious Materials (OPIM)

• semen

• vaginal secretions

• body fluids such as pleural, cerebrospinal, pericardial, peritoneal, synovial, and amniotic

• saliva in dental procedures (if blood is present)

• any body fluids visibly contaminated with blood

• any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead)

• HIV- or HBV-containing cultures (cell, tissue, or organ), culture medium, or other solutions

• blood, organs, & tissues from animals infected with HIV, HBV, or BBPs

Other body fluids and materials not considered infectious…

….unless contaminated with blood or OPIM

• saliva (except during dental procedures)

• urine

• feces

• vomit

• tears

• sweat

Who is at risk of exposure to BBPs?

• Lab Technicians

• Research Scientists

• Health Care Workers

• Physicians

• Blood Bank Workers

• Police Officers

• Fire & Rescue Personnel

• Child care providers• Life guards• Instructors• Security Officers• Custodial and house-

keeping staff• YOU?

Those employees who by nature of their tasks have the potential to be exposed to blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials

• means reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral (piercing of the skin) contact with blood or OPIM that may result from the performance of an employee's duties

Occupational Exposure

Transmission of BBPs

• is a specific contact with blood or OPIM that is capable of transmitting a bloodborne disease

Exposure Incident

Transmission of BBPsRisk of infection depends on several factors:

The pathogen involved The type/route of exposure The amount of virus in the

infected blood at the time of exposure

The amount of infected blood involved in the exposure

Whether post-exposure treatment was taken

Specific immune response of the infected individual

Courtesy of Owen Mumford, Inc.

Modes of TransmissionPercutaneous (through the skin)• Being stuck with needles or other sharps• Having infected blood or other body fluids splashed onto skin that is cut, scratched, has sores or rashes or other skin conditions

Mucocutaneous (via mucous membrane)• Having infected blood or other body fluids splashed into eyes, nose or mouth

Health Care Workers and BBPs

• HBV: 30%

(6%-30%)

• HCV: 3.0% (range 0%-7%)

• HIV: 0.3%

Occupational TransmissionRisk of infection following needle stick/cut from a positive (infected) source:

Most Common Occupational Exposure

Needlestick Injuries

Over 85% of documented occupational transmissions

Bloodborne Pathogen Diseases

Main bloodborne pathogens and diseases of concern

• Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)

• Human Immunodeficiency Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)Virus (HIV)

Some examples of bloodborne pathogens:

• Malaria • Syphilis • Brucellosis• Leptospirosis

• Arboviral infections • Relapsing fever • Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease • Viral Hemorrhagic Fever

Co-infection is possible.

• Causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

• HIV destroys cells in the body’s immune system

• It may take many years before AIDS develops• A flu-like illness can occur 1-6 weeks after

exposure to the virus:fever diarrheaheadache sore throatnight sweats enlarged lymph nodesmalaise thrushmuscle pains fatiguenausea weight loss

HIV

HIV• In some cases, symptom-free period of 5-10

years can occur

• SURVIVAL OUTSIDE THE BODY– HIV does not survive well outside the body, making the

possibility of environmental transmission remote– But in dry blood, the virus has been shown to survive for

up to 6 days in laboratory conditions• QUANTITY OF VIRUS IN BLOOD

– 1 millilitre of blood contains 200-10,000 particles of virus.• RISK OF INFECTION FOLLOWING NEEDLE STICK

INJURY – Low - 0.3% - 3 people in 1,000.

• RISK OF INFECTION FOLLOWING EYE SPLASH– Low.

Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, June 29, 2001 / 50(RRll);1-42. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Occupationally acquired AIDS

Updated in a 2007 report, with the same documented 57 cases but an additional 140 “possible” cases

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/bp_hcp_w_hiv.html

Global HIV/AIDS Estimates

Cases of HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States, 2007

• >1.2 million people living with HIV • 1/4th of persons living with HIV do not know the are infected• Although African Americans represent about 13% of the population, they accounted for 48% of new HIV or AIDS diagnoses in 2007

AIDS in Washington State by AIDS in Washington State by CountyCounty

December 31, 2000 - N= 9419December 31, 2000 - N= 9419

Kingn=6096

65%

Clarkn=326

3%

Kitsapn=166

2%Spokane

n=3864%

Snohomishn=465

5%

All Othersn=1143

12%Piercen=837

9%

Also, 64% of cumulative HIV cases are from King County

Current estimates of the number of HIV/AIDS in King County

• 7,765 King County residents have been diagnosed with AIDS and 4,254 (55%) have died (1982-2007)• An estimated 7,500 residents are currently living with HIV• 45% (3,511) diagnosed with AIDS• 55% have HIV infection but have not developed AIDS• 80% of those living with AIDS in King County were Seattle residents at the time of diagnosis • 31% of the King County population lives in Seattle

HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Program: Facts about AIDS in King County, June 2009 http://www.kingcounty.gov/health

Global Estimates of Hepatitis C

Features of Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Incubation period Average 6-7 weeksRange 2-26 weeks

Acute illness (jaundice) Mild (<20%)

Case fatality rate Low

Chronic infection 60%-85%

Chronic hepatitis 10%-70%

Cirrhosis <5%-20%

Mortality from CLD 1%-5%

Leading indication for liver transplant

HEPATITIS C IN BLOOD

• SURVIVAL OUTSIDE THE BODY– Little is known but likely to be the same as hepatitis B, up to 10

days• QUANTITY OF VIRUS IN BLOOD

– 1 millilitre of blood contains 1,000 - 10,000 particles of virus• RISK OF INFECTION FOLLOWING NEEDLE STICK INJURY

– Medium - 3% - 3 people in 100• RISK OF INFECTION FOLLOWING EYE SPLASH

– Low

* Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, June 29, 2001 / 50(RRll);1-42. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Hepatitis C Virus Infection, United States

New infections per year 1985-89 242,000

2001 25,000

Deaths from acute liver failure Rare

Persons ever infected (1.8%) 3.9 million (3.1-4.8)*

Persons with chronic infection 2.7 million (2.4-3.0)*

HCV-related chronic liver disease 40% - 60%

Deaths from chronic disease/year 8,000-10,000

*95% Confidence Interval

Occupational Transmission of HCV

• Inefficient by occupational exposures

• Average incidence 1.8% following needle stick from HCV-positive source – Associated with hollow-bore needles

• Case reports of transmission from blood splash to eye; one from exposure to non-intact skin

• Prevalence 1-2% among health care workers – 10 times lower than for HBV infection

HCW to Patient Transmission of HCV

• Rare– In U.S., none related to performing

invasive procedures

• Most appear related to HCW substance abuse– Reuse of needles or sharing narcotics

used for self-injection

• No restrictions routinely recommended for HCV-infected HCWs

Perinatal Transmission of HCV

• Transmission only from women HCV-RNA positive at delivery– Average rate of infection 6%– Higher (17%) if woman co-infected with HIV

• No association with– Delivery method– Breastfeeding

• Infected infants do well– Severe hepatitis is rare

Source: Sentinel Counties, CDC

Sources of Infection forPersons With Hepatitis C

Sexual 15%

Other 1%*

Unknown 10%

Injecting drug use 60%

Transfusion 10%(before screening)

* Nosocomial; iatrogenic; perinatal

Occupational 4%

HCV Prevalence by Selected Groupsin United States

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Hemophilia

Injecting drug users

Surgeons, PSWs

Hemodialysis

Average Percent Anti-HCV Positive

Gen population adults

Military personnel

STD clients

Pregnant women

Hepatitis B Incidence in U.S., 2001• Statistically poses the greatest risk• Estimated incidence

– 78,000 cases/year• Reported cases

– Acute hepatitis B: 7,844• Likelihood of becoming a carrier varies inversely

with the age at which infection occurs

• Pool of carriers in U.S. is 1-1.25 million persons

• ~5000 persons die/yr. from HBV-related cirrhosis

Transmission of HBV (1)

• Concentration of HBV in various body fluids

– High: Blood, serum, wound exudates

– Medium: saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions

– Low/not detectable: urine, feces, sweat, tears, breast milk

• Perinatal – transplacental transmission, rare (2-5%)

• Sexual transmission – unprotected sex

Transmission of HBV (2)

• Percutaneous transmission – sharing of injection drug use equipment, needle stick injury, ear-piercing, body piercing, tattooing, inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, scarification

• Household and interhousehold transmission – less risk but significant - can occur in settings such as shared toothbrushes, razors, combs, washcloths

Transmission of HBV (3)

• Passed from child to child by biting, shared objects, oozing cuts, impetigo, etc.

• Virus can exist on environmental surfaces for up to one week and remain infectious

• Pre-chewing food for babies, or sharing food that has been chewed by someone else (chewing gum)

Blood transfusion 0%

Other* 15%

Unknown 32%

Hemodialysis 0%Multiple sex partners 17%

Injection drug use 14%

Men who have sex with men 6%

Sexual contact with hepatitis B patient 13%

Medical Employee 1%

Household contact of hepatitis B patient 2%

Risk Factors Associated with Reported Hepatitis B, 1990-2000,

United States

Source: NNDSS/VHSP *Other: Surgery, dental surgery, acupuncture, tattoo, other percutaneous injury

HEPATITIS B IN BLOOD

• SURVIVAL OUTSIDE THE BODY– Very stable, virus can persists in dry blood for up to 10

days• QUANTITY OF VIRUS IN BLOOD

– 1 millilitre of blood contains 100,000,000 particles of virus• RISK OF INFECTION FOLLOWING NEEDLE STICK

INJURY– Very High - 30% - 3 people in 10

• RISK OF INFECTION FOLLOWING EYE SPLASH– High

* Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Postexposure Prophylaxis. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, June 29, 2001 / 50(RRll);1-42. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Hepatitis B: Clinical Features

• Incubation period ranges from 45-180 days, average is 60-90 days

• Onset is insidious• Clinical illness (jaundice): <10% for <5 yr olds

30%-50% for >5 yrs

• Acute case-fatality rate: 0.5%-1%

• Chronic infection: <5 yrs old, 30%-90%>5 yrs old, 2%-6%

• Premature mortality fromchronic liver disease: 15%-25%

Signs and Symptoms

• Symptom– there may be none– loss of appetite,

malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, arthralgias, myalgias

• Signs– there may be none– jaundice, fever, dark

urine

Normal eyes

Jaundiced eyes

Regulatory Risk Reduction Strategies against BBPs

• 1991, OSHA BBP Standard: Mandates rules for employers to protect workers from

occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids that potentially contain bloodborne pathogens

• 2001, OSHA BBP Standard: Updated with new requirements under Federal Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act

• WISHA: Washington Industrial and Safety Act

Ways to prevent exposure to BBP• Universal precautions

– Blood and OPIM from ALL persons are considered infectious

– Appropriate barriers and procedures must be used when contact with blood or OPIM is anticipated

• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Gloves, masks, face shields, lab coats, respirators, gowns, resuscitation

devices, shoe cover

Ways to prevent exposure to BBP (Contd.)

• Work Practice Controls

– Hand washing

– Storage and handling of contaminated equipment

– No eating, drinking, smoking, handling contact lenses, and applying make-up in work areas

Thank you! Recipe for fake blood from Penn and Teller's Bleeding Heart Gelatin Dessert:

•1 cup corn syrup•1/2 cup grenadine•0.3 oz. red food coloring•3 drops blue food coloring

Jillette, P. and T. Jillette 1992. Penn and Teller's how to play with your food, p.104-109. Villard Books, New York, N.Y.