How service users can help prevent diseases spreading

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Mehvish bibi

Task 2c

How the service users can prevent from diseases spreading?

There are many ways in which the service can try to do, to prevent disease from spreading; these are the following main ways:

  • Treat all blood and body fluids as infected.
  • Use good hand hygiene.
  • Cover any broken skin.
  • Wear protective clothing when dealing with body fluids.
  • Use and dispose of sharps appropriately.
  • Disinfect body fluid spillages correctly.
  • Dispose of waste and excreta carefully.

What is Hepatitis A and how it can be spread?

Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A occurs when the hepatitis A virus is taken in by mouth. The virus then multiplies in the liver and is passed in the faeces. An infected person's hands can become contaminated after using the toilet and the virus then spreads by direct contact, or by food, beverages and other objects that were handled by the infected person, such as cups and spoons.

For example, hepatitis A can spread when people:

  • Don't wash their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet or changing nappies.
  • Eat non-cooked foods, such as salads, which have been contaminated by being handled by an infectious person.
  • Eat shellfish from contaminated waters.
  • Drink contaminated water.

Hepatitis A is typically spread through contact with infected faeces. You can get infected through close contact with an infected person, even if that person does not have any symptoms. In fact, hepatitis A is most contagious before symptoms appear. You can also get infected by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. The virus can live on hands, in water and in soil. Hepatitis A is common in developing countries.

Hepatitis A can spread easily in care setting like Greyfriers. Therefore, it is important that centres have policies on hand washing and cleaning procedures. Ensure that everyone at the centre follows these procedures thoroughly.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis A?

The hepatitis A virus is usually in your system for 1 month before symptoms appear.

When symptoms do appear, they can appear suddenly and include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Jaundice (the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes)
  • Low-grade fever (fever up to 102°F)
  • Fatigue
  • Pain in your abdomen, especially on your right side
  • Dark-coloured urine
  • Loss of appetite
  • Muscle pain
  • Itching
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http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-a/Pages/Introduction.aspx

What is ‘Universal Precautions’, and the history about it?

Universal Precautions’ were first recommended in 1985, by the Centres for 

Disease Control in America, in response to the risk of transmission of HIV to health care workers from patients whose infection status was unknown. Initially they dealt only with body fluids capable of containing blood borne viruses. In the

Late 1980’s the UK adopted universal precautions but they were expanded to

Include all routes of transmission and all body fluids/substances capable of

Containing pathogenic micro organisms, this could potentially lead to cross infection between patients. This expanded version is known as ‘Universal Infection Control ...

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