Blood borne viruses (BBVs) are viral infections that can be transmitted from person to person through blood or body fluids. The BBV infection is a major global health problem, posing great risk to both healthcare workers and patients in their care. In health care settings, Healthcare workers (HCW) may acquire bloodborne infections from lacerations, punctures, and non-intact skin exposures to the blood or body fluids of infected patients. Exposures may occur during surgical or invasive medical/dental procedures. Transmission of BBV infection to patients may occur by injection, infusion, transplantation, unsterile equipment, or other accidental injury/penetration So, the workshop will concentrate on the BBVs that could be transmitted in the healthcare settings; HBV, HCV and HIV: for each of these viruses, there will be clarification of their characteristics, worldwide epidemiology, modes of transmission, clinical significance, laboratory diagnoses, and updates of treatments. In this part, PowerPoint presentation together with interaction with the audience in the form of think, pair and share activity about simple basic knowledge in relevance to these BBVs. In the second part, there will be discussion about risk of transmission between patients and healthcare workers, Factors influencing the occupational risk with elaboration of different conditions/ situations for transmission; how to get Risk Reduction of transmission to Healthcare Workers and Risk Reduction of transmission to Patients; with review of Infection control measures for prevention of transmission of Blood borne Viruses in Healthcare Settings: standard precautions, safe sharps disposal, safe injections, decontamination and healthcare workers vaccination. Discussion would elaborate the Updated Guidelines for the Management of Occupational Exposures to HBV, HCV, and HIV and Recommendations for Post exposure Prophylaxis. Animation and short videos will be used to elucidate the PowerPoint presentation of this part. Third part, will be in the form of interactive groups discussion about some presented case scenarios, showing different clinical presentations and select and explain best management modalities to ensure deep understanding and optimum knowledge retention.
