Universal Precautions against Infectious Diseases

What are universal precautions?

Universal precautions are guidelines you can follow to help to prevent the spread of infection. Follow these guidelines to protect yourself from infection if you are caring for someone with an infectious disease. Hospitals, all healthcare facilities, and healthcare workers use universal precautions to protect patients, themselves, and other healthcare workers from the spread of infectious diseases.

Infectious diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. These organisms can be spread from person to person through:

• blood, body secretions, urine, and bowel movements
• droplets breathed, sneezed, or coughed out from the nose or mouth
• skin-to-skin contact
• sexual contact.

Universal precautions help protect patients and their family, friends, and healthcare providers from infection.

What precautions should I take if I am caring for an infectious person at home?

Gloves

• Wear latex or polyurethane medical gloves when:
  • You touch the infected person's mucus membranes (nose, mouth, genital area, or rectum) or affected skin or body fluids (such as blood, bowel movements, urine, drainage from a wound, saliva, or vomit).
  • You handle items (such as clothing, bed linens, or towels) or body surfaces soiled with blood or body fluids.
  • You perform procedures involving treatment of open sores (such as changing a bandage) or giving medicine with a needle.
  • You clean up around the area where you are caring for the patient.
• If a glove gets torn or damaged, take your gloves off and wash your hands. If you are not done caring for the person, put on new gloves.
• Put new gloves on each time you perform a procedure.
• Do not wash gloves. Discard them after each use in a special container separate from other trash (see information below about discarding waste items).

Gloves are not a substitute for hand washing. Wash your hands after wearing gloves in case the gloves have been damaged.

Hand washing

• Wash your hands immediately after you take your gloves off.
• If you get blood or body fluid on your hands or any other body surface, wash your hands and the exposed part of your body immediately and thoroughly.
• Wash your hands immediately before and after each contact with the infected person.

Protective clothing (such as masks, goggles, gowns)

• Wear a surgical mask and eyewear during any task that may expose you to blood or other body fluids. This can prevent exposure of your mouth, nose, and eyes to the infection.
• Wear disposable gowns or aprons when blood or body fluids may splash. If you wear a cloth gown or apron, wash it according to the instructions given below for washing linens soiled with blood.

Safety precautions with needles:

• If possible, always use disposable needles.
• Do not recap or purposely bend needles.
• Discard needles in the way recommended by your healthcare provider. Put used needles in a puncture-proof container. Avoid overfilling the container.
• If you accidentally stick yourself with a needle someone else has used, contact your healthcare provider right away.

Disposal of waste products and washing of soiled linens:

• Discard disposable items soiled with blood in red plastic bags. Use two bags, putting one inside another. Make sure you follow your local health department's instructions.
• Check with your healthcare provider and local health department before you pour any liquids such as blood, suctioned fluids, excretions, and secretions carefully down a drain connected to a sanitary sewer.
• Linens or clothing soiled with blood must be washed separately from other laundry. Use detergent and germicide. Follow your local health department's instructions for safe washing and disposal of the water.

Guidelines for sterilization or disinfection

• Use chemical germicides registered with the Environmental Protection Agency to sterilize or disinfect.
• Ask your healthcare provider or local health department what chemicals are safe for home use.
• Use these chemicals only in the recommended concentrations and only with proper ventilation.