The Dangers of Blood Borne Pathogen and How to Prevent it

If you come into contact with a needle or another sharp instrument that has come into contact with the blood or bodily fluids of someone with one of these illnesses, you could become infected with HBV, HCV, or HIV.

Millions of healthcare workers face the occupational risk of getting a needlestick injury. Despite the fact that over the past 30 years, universal rules have reduced the risks of needlestick injuries, these incidents still happen, albeit at a much lower incidence.

According to the Ontario Hospital Association/Ontario Medical Association (2016), there is a 6 to 30% probability that an exposed individual may get infected after being wounded in the workplace by a needle contaminated with the hepatitis B virus. In a comparable setting, there is a 0.3% probability of infection with HIV and a 1.8% chance of infection with hepatitis C. Source.

What are the dangers?

Needlestick wounds can spread more than 20 different blood-borne pathogens. Infections, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other microbes, have been transferred to healthcare personnel, laboratory researchers, and veterinary professionals due to injuries. The diseases include:

• Mycoplasma caviae

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever

• Sporotrichosis

• Staphylococcus aureus

• Streptococcus pyogenes

• Syphilis

• Toxoplasmosis

• Tuberculosis

• Blastomycosis

• Brucellosis

• Cryptococcosis

• Diphtheria

• Cutaneous gonorrhea

• Herpes

• Malaria

• Mycobacteriosis

Many of these infections were spread in solitary incidents. They do, however, show that a needlestick can have severe consequences.

How to prevent the dangers of bloodborne pathogens?

With the extra feature of a manual locking mechanism that "clicks" into place when the needle is fully depressed, and after usage, ClickZipTM has been specifically created to be used exactly like a traditional syringe. The needle is dragged back into the barrel when it is retracted. The barrel plunger is then snapped off, enclosing the needle safely in the barrel and preventing reuse and potential needlestick injuries until it has been fully retracted. The procedure has four steps: draw, inject, zip, and snap.

It complies with OSHA's guidelines for needlestick safety devices and international medical equipment requirements. The ClickZipTM Needle Retractable Safety Syringe is latex-free and has a current US FDA 510K and ARTG. It has also been listed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The technology and mechanism are simple and straightforward and require little to no training. The needle can be fully enclosed in the syringe barrel before being removed from the patient, increasing user control and safety for healthcare professionals. This method also avoids needle reuse and uses less room in sharps containers, which gives it a higher grade for waste disposal efficiency. Finally, the technology complies with global standards and works with medical equipment.

To learn more about Numedico's ClickZip safety Syringe range, click here.

Contact sales@numedico.com.au for more information.

References: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000453.htm#:~:text=Germs%20that%20can%20have%20a,cause%20infections%20and%20liver%20damage.