In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that 12,000 healt

Question

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that 12,000 health-care workers become infected with the hepatitis B virus each year as a result of occupational exposure to blood. Of these, 500 to 600 require hospitalization, and over 200 die each year--12 to 15 directly from hepatitis B, 170 to 200 from cirrhosis, and 40 to 50 from liver cancer.

1. Which are the possible ways that a health care worker may be infected with Hepatitis viruses?

Hepatitis B is not transmitted by casual contact. For example, hospital employees who have no contact with blood, blood products, or blood-contaminated fluids are at no greater risk than the general public.

2. What occupations have increased risk of hepatitis B?

Explanation / Answer

Health care workers are exposed to blood or other body fluids. And they are at more risk of hepatitis b virus. If the fluid is infected with the virus and comes in contact with the healthcare worker's blood or mucous membranes, there is a 10 to 30 percent chance of becoming infected with the hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B infection is a preventable disease, infecting approximately two billion people worldwide and causing a million deaths annually. Around 2 million healthcare workers are exposed to Hepatitis B and have ten times higher risk of contracting the disease due to occupational exposure.

percutaneous injury with any sharp or contact with non-intact skin or mucous membrane with potentially infectious blood or body fluid places the HCW at risk for exposure to blood borne pathogens

2. Health care workers are more prone to the virus of hepatitis b.Young nurses are more susceptible to the virus of hepatitis B.

in one study 6% of medical waste handlers were reported to be carrying hepatitis B in their blood, 7.3% of HCWs as compared to 0.9% non health workers showed infection with hepatitis B in another study

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse I
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.