HIV/AIDS and Other Bloodborne Pathogens for Funeral Professionals - 1 hour

Course overview

Microorganisms carried in the blood that can cause disease are called bloodborne pathogens. Various types of microorganisms can be transmitted through contact with blood, but this course will focus primarily on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) - and the virus that causes hepatitis B (HBV). These two diseases are specifically addressed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens Standard. The course will also touch on hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has dramatically increased in the United States. Of the bloodborne pathogens, funeral professionals are most likely to be exposed to HIV, HBV, and HCV (Davidson & Benjamin, 2006).