You’ve likely heard of airborne and bloodborne pathogens before, and while they share some similarities, they are vastly different. In this post, we’ll share what the key differences are between airborne and bloodborne pathogens to give you an understanding of the two, and the risk they pose.
What are bloodborne and airborne pathogens exactly?
Bloodborne and airborne pathogens are a type of infectious micro-organism. Both can cause diseases within the body. Some you can recover from, and others you cannot.
Below is a more detailed description of the two:
Bloodborne pathogens
Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms in the blood that can be passed on from one person to another if they come into contact with blood, bodily fluids or saliva.
Airborne pathogens
Airborne pathogens are pathogenic microbes that travel through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs or breathes. These remain airborne or fall onto surfaces infecting others when they breathe in the infected air or touch an infected surface and then touch their face. Bloodborne and airborne pathogens can both be bacterial or viral.
How do bloodborne pathogens transmit?
Bloodborne pathogens can be transmitted from one person to another through bodily fluids. Some of these include blood, perspiration, saliva, vaginal secretions and semen. When a person is infected with a bloodborne pathogen and you come into direct contact with one of these, you may become infected yourself. Some examples of how this may occur include:
- Directly touching blood, sores or abrasions
- Unprotected intercourse
- Needle-stick injury
- Been bitten by someone
- Using someone else’s razor
Diseases caused by bloodborne pathogens
Bloodborne pathogens can cause a variety of illnesses, some include:
Hepatitis C (HCV)
This disease attacks the liver and can cause severe liver problems such as cancer and liver failure. Hepatitis C can be transmitted through sharing infected needles, razors, grooming instruments and unprotected sex.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
HIV affects your immune systems ability to do its job properly, and if left untreated, it can lead to AIDS which can be fatal. HIV is typically transmitted sexually however, it can be transmitted through other sources of bodily fluid such as coming into contact with another’s infected blood or breastmilk.
Hepatitis B (HBV)
Like Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B attacks the liver. This condition is less serious than Hepatitis C, and a large number of people recover from this disease. For the minority, it can have serious repercussions such as liver failure, and subsequently, death. This can be transmitted much like the other two and can also be transferred from mother to baby during birth.
Diseases caused by airborne pathogens
Airborne pathogens transmit much easier than bloodborne pathogens as you don’t have to have direct contact with the infected pathogen to get infected. Airborne pathogens can be on objects and float around in the air unnoticed.
Airborne illnesses can cause a variety of illnesses, some include:
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
One that we’ve all become very familiar with is COVID-19. This airborne pathogen is highly contagious and can be transmitted through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. Other people can become infected from breathing in the infected air, or by touching a surface that has infected droplets on it and then touching their nose or mouth. These infected airborne pathogens can survive in the air and on surfaces for an extended period of time, enabling them to infect many people.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It travels in the air from an infected person breathing, sneezing, or coughing in the vicinity of another. It primarily affects the lungs, but it can also infect the brain, spine and kidneys.
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a bacterial airborne illness that is caused by the bacteria, Corynebacterium diphtheria. It can be extremely deadly, and around one in ten do not survive once they have contracted it.
A greyish phlegm-like substance typically forms at the back of the throat, and this can inhibit breathing. This disease spreads like other airborne illnesses and less commonly can spread from touching an infected persons skin or even the clothes that they are wearing when infected.
Influenza
Influenza is a viral airborne pathogen that spreads much like COVID-19, and the symptoms can be similar too. The severity of the illness can vary significantly from person to person, but common symptoms include fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, and headaches. It can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Prevention is better than a cure
Sometimes you can’t prevent getting infected with a bloodborne illness such as accidentally treading on a used needle or contracting an airborne illness such as breathing in infected air unknowingly, but you can take precautions to prevent the spread of both by wearing PPE, educating yourself on pathogens and how to prevent the spread and following safety measures.
We hope this post has given you an idea of the key differences between bloodborne pathogens and airborne pathogens. Airborne pathogens tend to be more easily transmissible, but they can both be deadly depending on the disease that the person is infected with. The good news is that even for more serious diseases, treatment is better than it ever has been. So are you CPR Qualified? If not you should enroll in a CPR Training Course Gold Coast.
Here at Paradise First Aid, we offer courses that empower you to help others while keeping yourself safe. For more information, contact our friendly team!
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