Despite all of the effort over many years, it is still not widely recognised that splashes of blood and bloodstained body fluids to the eyes or mouth, occurring directly or perhaps indirectly via contaminated fingers whether gloved or not, risks transmission of bloodborne virus. We have raised the issue many times previously on the Clinical Waste Discussion Forum.
The conjunctiva and mucous membranes are effective routes for virus attachment and penetration, as certain as a deep puncture wound. Where splash exposure is a real risk, then eye or full face protection is appropriate, though when have you seen anyone bother with that? The evidence is there – and for those who still doubt the risk there is experimental evidence for extensive splashing of fluids, including bloodstained fluids, to the torso of those handling clinical waste sacks with an expectation that this is not restricted only to those sample areas.
Sometimes it is easy, as in the case of the Norwegian kindergarten teacher’s who brought a vial of her own blood into the kindergarten, and at ‘sharing time’ took out the vial, poured it on a plate, and let the students pass it around the classroom.
Up to a dozen children may have ingested the teacher’s blood.
The teacher, who has not been identified, reportedly asked the nurse at a recent doctor’s visit if she could have a vial of her blood to take with her to the school where she taught.
And in a story from America – where else – the blood facial!
The ‘star’ Kim Kard was trying out the latest beauty technique with a hope to ‘make her look and feel youthful’.
A large needle drew blood from her arm before the sample was spun in a machine to remove the platelets.
The blood was then splattered into Kim’s face using nine tiny little acupuncture-style needles.
But first she had to slap on some numbing cream in a bid to ease the pain.
The results left her looking like she had been in the classic horror flick – or a car crash, with blood spots all over face.
‘It stings a little,’ the medic who administered the treatment warned.
Only in America!