Blood born pathogens Health, Medicine, Nursing Essay

Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B
Information and history of the disease
Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by a virus. The condition can be prevented through vaccination. While it is mild and lasts for a short period among some patients, it has severe implications in some patients (Trépo, Chan, & Lok, 2014). Acute situations do not require treatment. According to Trépo, Chan, & Lok, (2014), the disease can be chronic, causing actual damage of the liver and other situations such as cancer and the severity of the conditions could be life-threatening. Hepatitis B is easily spread from infected individuals to healthy people through blood contact, open sores and body fluids like saliva and semen (Trépo, Chan, & Lok, 2014). However, it is not spread through kissing, sharing food and water, utensils and coughing or sneezing. Getting the disease as an adult does not lead to severity. It lasts a short period, and the patient's bodies can fight it within a few months to full recovery (Trépo, Chan, & Lok, 2014). The patients then get back to standard immune for the rest of their lives. However, if a child gets it at birth, it is unlikely to heal (Trépo, Chan, & Lok, 2014). Thus, the infected individuals may have to battle to condition for the rest of their lives. Hepatitis B is prevalent with at least 1.2 million in the United States living with the virus.
Impact on healthcare workers
Hepatitis B is one of the most transmissible bloodborne diseases in health care settings. Lewis, Enfield, & Sifri (2015) argue that as the virus can spread to other people, healthcare workers are not an exception. Therefore, they are at risk of exposure from patients and spreading the virus to other patients with other issues. However, spread to other patients is minimized, considering the observance of precaution measures towards the prevention of the virus. Although the patients cannot evade infection, healthcare workers cannot since they have to become in co...