Chapter 1: HIV/AIDS and Other Bloodborne Pathogens for Funeral Professionals - 1 hour (Mandatory) 1 CE Hour
By: Staff Writer
Course Approval Number: 383096
Learning outcomes After completing this course, the learner will be able to: Know the difference between HIV infection and AIDS. Describe how HIV is transmitted. Recognize popular misconceptions and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. Recall rules and regulations regarding HIV/AIDS status disclosure. Paraphrase protections afforded to HIV-positive funeral personnel under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Course overview Microorganisms carried in the blood that can cause disease are called bloodborne pathogens . Various types of microorganisms can be transmitted through contact with blood, but this course will focus primarily on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)—the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)—and the virus that causes hepatitis B (HBV). These two diseases are specifically
Understand the dangers of bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Identify and define standard precautions that apply to mortuary and funeral procedures. Understand OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. Describe the precautions that should be taken to limit
exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Describe an exposure control plan.
addressed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The course will also touch on hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has dramatically increased in the United States. Of the bloodborne pathogens, funeral professionals are most likely to be exposed to HIV, HBV, and HCV (Davidson & Benjamin, 2006).
INTRODUCTION
Microorganisms carried in the blood that can cause disease are called bloodborne pathogens . Various types of microorganisms can be transmitted through contact with blood, but this course will focus primarily on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)—the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)—and the virus that causes hepatitis B (HBV). These two diseases are specifically addressed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The course will also touch on hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has dramatically increased in the United States. Of the bloodborne pathogens, funeral professionals are most likely to be exposed to HIV, HBV, and HCV (Davidson & Benjamin, 2006). HIV AND OTHER BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS: MODES OF TRANSMISSION
● Amniotic fluid. ● Any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood. (OSHA, n.d.b) These fluids can transmit HIV and other bloodborne pathogens only if they come into contact with mucous membranes or damaged tissue or are directly injected into the bloodstream (CDC, 2021a).
Bloodborne pathogens such as HIV, HBV, and HCV can be transmitted through contact with infected body fluids other than human blood. These body fluids include: ● Semen.
● Vaginal secretions. ● Cerebrospinal fluid.
● Synovial fluid. ● Pleural fluid.
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)
What is HIV? The human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus is transmitted from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. Pregnant women can pass HIV to their children during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. HIV is a retrovirus. It forces CD4 white blood cells to convert the virus’s RNA into DNA and instructs the cell to make more retroviruses. These new retroviruses attack other cells (Ganguly, 2023).
CD4 cells, also called CD4 T lymphocytes , or helper T cells, are part of the human immune system. The HIV virus, in hijacking these cells, damages the body’s ability to fight off infection. A CD4 cell count can help determine whether a person is infected with HIV and also how far the disease has progressed. Infection with HIV and a CD4 count at or below 200 per cubic millimeter, along with an AIDS-defining illness, is indicative of AIDS (Cleveland Clinic, 2022b). In the presence of HIV, a low CD4 cell count indicates a high virus load (MedlinePlus, n.d.). In the United States, antiretroviral therapies mean that people who are infected with HIV rarely go on to develop AIDS (HIV.gov, 2023b).
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Book Code: FFL1225
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