Posted On: December 4, 2025

What are the 5 Most Common Bloodborne Pathogens?

Bloodborne pathogens like HIV are a serious workplace hazard for healthcare workers.

While everyone with occupational exposure to these infections needs formal OSHA-authorized bloodborne pathogen training, in this article, we’ll give you an introduction to the concept of bloodborne pathogens, the most common culprits US healthcare workers will encounter, and more.

What Are Bloodborne Pathogens?

A bloodborne pathogen (BBP) is any disease-causing organism that passes from one entity to another through blood and some other bodily fluids. This includes some (but not all) vector-borne diseases, including malaria and yellow fever.

The symptoms of bloodborne diseases vary by the type of infection, but they sometimes present initially with flu-like symptoms if they’re symptomatic at all.

How Do Bloodborne Pathogens Spread?

Outside of a hospital environment, bloodborne diseases are often passed through unprotected sexual contact, contaminated sharps, and maternal transfer.

But to prevent bloodborne pathogen exposure in hospitals, you need to be aware of all the potentially infectious materials and vulnerable tissues.

Bloodborne pathogens are transmissible through direct contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIMs), including:

Blood
Blood serum
Vaginal secretions
Semen
Cerebrospinal fluid
Joint capsule or organ fluids, including pleural and peritoneal fluids
Amniotic fluid

Infections can be passed when any of these fluids make contact with either broken or damaged skin (including sunburn, acne, or chapped skin) or a mucous membrane (like the eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals). That includes the inhalation of aerosolized infectious material.

Contact between OPIMs and unbroken, healthy skin is low risk, but it should still be avoided since not all skin damage is readily apparent. Similarly, precautions should be taken with “low risk” bodily fluids, including saliva, urine, feces, and sweat.

Exposure prevention controls, as well as the proper cleanup and disposal of potentially contaminated materials and surfaces, are key steps to maintaining a safe healthcare work environment.

Common Bloodborne Infections

There are many types of bloodborne diseases in healthcare, including these common BBP infections.

#1: Hepatitis B (HBV)

Hepatitis B is a liver-targeting viral infection that can lead to short-term (acute) and long-lasting (chronic) conditions. The likelihood of progressing to chronic hepatitis B is significantly influenced by the age at which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is contracted, with children five and under at the time of infection being the most at risk.

Most adults only experience an acute infection. There is a 60–90-day incubation period after transmission, 3-10 days of fever, malaise, anorexia, and other symptoms, and 1-3 weeks of jaundice. Full recovery, for those who don’t progress to a chronic infection, can last weeks or months. During this time, the patient continues to experience malaise and fatigue.

The Hepatitis B virus is one of the most infectious bloodborne pathogens that threatens workers in a healthcare setting. First, HBV can survive on surfaces for up to 7 days. Depending on the viral load of the source material, there is a 6-30% transmission rate for percutaneous exposure (like a needlestick), and up to one in 4 occupational infections are through contact with mucous membranes or broken skin.

The high infectivity of HBV is one of the reasons that vaccinations are encouraged for workers in a healthcare setting.

#2: Hepatitis C (HCV)

Hepatitis C, a viral infection that predominantly targets the liver, is similar to Hepatitis B in its symptoms and the course of the disease, but carries a far higher risk of chronic infection (75-85% of those infected).

HCV is the most common bloodborne infection in the US, so the chance of exposure is significant for this reason alone. That said, occupational transmission of HCV is significantly lower than HBV, likely 1.9% and primarily through percutaneous exposure.

Unlike the Hepatitis B virus, there is no vaccine for HCV. However, HCV can often be treated successfully with antiviral medications, which, in some instances, can completely cure the infection.

#3: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV is a bloodborne virus that compromises the immune system. Without appropriate treatment, chronic HIV infection can evolve into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a critical condition that drastically weakens the immune system.

While HIV is one of the first diseases we think of in the context of bloodborne pathogens, the good news is that the occupational risk is rare. Only 58 confirmed cases of workplace HIV transmission have been recorded in the US. The average risks of HIV transmission for nurses and other healthcare workers are only about 0.3% from a single needlestick of infected blood and less so for contact with mucous membranes.

The likelihood of transmission can be reduced further by post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

#4: Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

HIV, HBV, and HCV account for the majority of BBPs in the US, but cytomegalovirus (CMV) is another notable player – not because it’s common or has especially high infectivity, but because it represents a serious threat of congenital infection in pregnant women.

Likely due to strict bloodborne infection control practices, occupational transmission is rare, but the consequences of CMV infection for pregnant workers could be severe. CMV is known to cause birth defects and developmental disabilities.

It’s also worth noting that CMV is found in some bodily fluids that are considered low-risk for other types of bloodborne pathogens. This includes urine, tears, mucus, and breastmilk.

#5: Other BBPs

HIV, HBV, and HCV represent the majority of bloodborne exposure risk for healthcare workers in the US, with CMV being notable for its potential impact on a special population.

But when we consider the fifth most common BBP, there are many potential contenders, none of which are particularly common or likely.

These include:

Syphilis, while primarily a sexually transmitted infection, was a potential concern in healthcare historically, but modern exposure controls have made it less common as an occupational infection.
West Nile Virus (WNV) is primarily a mosquito-borne viral infection that is known to be passed via blood transfusions or organ transplants.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease that can also be bloodborne.
Babesiosis, a parasitic disease that infects the red blood cells and is typically transmitted through tick bites, may also be passed through direct blood contact.
Brucellosis, also known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever, is a primarily zoonotic bacterial disease (transmitted from animals to humans) but also transmissible by blood-to-blood contact.
Viral hemorrhagic fevers, like Ebola and Marburg virus, are very rare in the US but highly infectious and capable of bloodborne transmission.

This list only scratches the surface, as many other harmful pathogens have proven capable of bloodborne transmission.

What Jobs Are at Risk of Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure?

Within healthcare, workers with the following responsibilities may be at risk of BBP exposure:

Nurses, Phlebotomists, Dentists, and Other Clinical Workers may be exposed to contaminated sharps or bodily fluids.
Hospice Care Workers providing end-of-life care risk exposure to contaminated bodily fluids.
Blood Bank, Tissue Bank, or Plasma Center Workers may encounter contaminated body tissues or fluids.
Housekeeping and Custodial services for hospitals and other facilities may expose workers to contaminated linens or surfaces.
Medical Waste Workers involved in the disposal and handling of sharps and other contaminated waste are at risk of exposure.
Lab Workers who work near or with blood samples have an exposure risk.
Home Health Care Workers may have an exposure risk.
Mortuary Workers handling the deceased may have an exposure risk.

Of course, there are many non-healthcare roles that also have bloodborne pathogen exposure risk, including tattoo and piercing artists, law enforcement, community services, and childcare.

What Is the Most Common BBP Exposure Risk for Healthcare Workers?

The most common risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens for healthcare workers is needlestick injuries. These can occur when handling, disposing of, or accidentally being pricked by contaminated needles or sharp instruments.

How to Prevent the Spread of Bloodborne Pathogens

Thankfully, we know how to prevent bloodborne infections in a healthcare setting, and the methods proven effective in doing so are in common use for the highest-risk roles.

Those in more casual or non-clinical roles are ironically at greater risk due to more relaxed adoption of these precautions. Those in home healthcare or custodial roles must be vigilant in protecting their own safety with strict adherence to the procedures below.

Employ Universal Precautions

One of the most important concepts in bloodborne pathogen exposure prevention is “universal precautions.” It means you don’t just take precautions with patients that are known to have a BBP, but to treat all blood and bodily fluids as if they are infectious, regardless of the perceived status of the source.

If you treat all potentially infectious materials with the level of precaution you would those you knew to be contaminated, you’re much less likely to experience exposure.

Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Common PPE for healthcare is your first line of defense against BBP exposure, including gloves, gowns, masks, and eye protection.

Any time you’re handling blood, bodily fluids, or OPIMs, it’s important to shield all skin and mucous membranes from potential splashes or contact using appropriate PPE.

Use Safe Handling & Disposal Practices

Always use safe handling practices for needles and other sharps to prevent potential stick injuries. This includes:

Plan ahead. Before using needles or other sharp objects, make sure a proper sharps disposal container is within arm’s reach and not overfilled.
Use safety-engineered needles whenever possible. These devices have built-in protective features like retractable needles or blunting mechanisms to prevent accidental sticks.
Never recapping needles manually. It’s best to discard needles without recapping, but when recapping must be performed, you should use a mechanical device or the “one-handed scoop.”
Dispose of sharps immediately. Never leave used sharps on a counter, carry them across a room, or pass them from person to person. Place them directly into a properly-rated disposal container at the point of use.

Practice Good Hand Hygiene

Practice proper and thorough handwashing before and after contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Hand hygiene measures are important even when you’ll be using PPE for healthcare procedures.

Engage in Proper Cleaning and Disinfection

Clean and disinfect all surfaces and equipment that may have encountered blood, bodily fluids, or other OPIMs using appropriately-rated cleaning agents.

Get Vaccinated for HBV

Given the highly infectious nature of HBV, healthcare workers should proactively reduce their risk of transmission during exposure by getting the HBV vaccine. It’s important to complete the full series of three or four vaccines to get the full advantage of immunity.

According to research, doing so can protect you from becoming infected with HBV for up to twenty years.

Follow Post-Exposure Protocols

If you suspect that you’ve been exposed to blood or other OPIMs, wash the area immediately. Wash any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water. If you suspect eye splash, irrigate your eyes well with water, saline, or a sterile irrigant.

Once you’ve washed the area of exposure, it’s important to notify a supervisor and follow all post-exposure protocols recommended by your employer. This may include lab tests, vaccines, or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

PEP protocols will vary based on the BBP you may have been exposed to. For HBV, it’s typically a vaccine or immunoglobulins. For HIV, it’s a 28-day course of anti-retrovirals. In all cases, it’s important to start PEP within 72 hours of exposure in order for it to be effective. That makes it important to get the ball rolling right away.

Follow Exposure Control Plans

All healthcare employers are required to develop and implement BBP exposure control plans by OSHA. While the advice in this article provides general guidance, your employer’s exposure control plan will have specific recommendations based on the equipment, policies, and resources available to you.

These exposure control plans can, therefore, be a valuable resource for protecting yourself from bloodborne pathogens.

Get Annual Bloodborne Pathogen Training

Last but not least, healthcare employees at risk of BBP exposure must receive training on how these infections are transmitted, specific prevention practices, and what to do in case of exposure.

This training is required by OSHA’s bloodborne pathogen standard under §1910.1030. It must be completed when an employee is assigned to tasks where occupational BBP exposure may take place and repeated “at least annually.”

Get Healthcare Bloodborne Pathogen Training Online

It’s easy to meet OSHA’s mandatory bloodborne pathogen training – simply find a reputable OSHA-authorized training provider like us and choose the best course for you.

All our bloodborne pathogen training is online, self-paced, interactive, and mobile-friendly for maximum effectiveness and convenience.

We have a number of courses that can meet your needs, depending on your role in the healthcare system, including dental office workers, laboratory personnel, and other healthcare workers.

Enroll now and get started today!