Glossary of Health Terms

Term Definition
Blood Human blood, human blood components and products made from human blood.
Bloodborne Pathogens Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Contaminated The presence or the reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an item or surface.
Contaminated Laundry Laundry which is wet with blood or other potentially infectious materials and presents a reasonable likelihood of soak-through or leakage from the bag or container; laundry which may contain sharps.
Contaminated Sharps Any contaminated object that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels, broken glass, broken capillary tubes, and exposed ends of dental wires.
Decontamination The use of physical or chemical means to remove, inactivate, or destroy bloodborne pathogens on a surface or item.
Disinfect To inactivate virtually all recognized pathogenic microorganisms but not necessarily all microbial forms (e.g., bacterial endospores) on inanimate objects.
Engineering Controls Controls that isolate or remove the hazard from the workplace.
Exposure Incident A specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that results from the performance of an employee’s duties.
Occupational Exposure Reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employee’s duties. This definition excludes incidental exposures that may take place on the job, and that are neither reasonable nor routinely expected and that the worker is not required to incur in the normal course of employment.
Other Potentially Infectious Materials (1) The following body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, and any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood;

(2) any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); and

(3) HIV- or HBV-containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV- or HBV-containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.

Parenteral Piercing mucous membranes or the skin barrier through such events as needle sticks, human bites, cuts and abrasions.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against a hazard, such as gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, etc.
Source Individual Any individual, living or dead, whose blood or other potentially infectious materials may be a source of occupational exposure to the employee. Examples include, but are not limited to, hospital and clinic patients; clients in institutions for the developmentally disabled; trauma victims; clients of drug and alcohol treatment facilities; residents of hospices and nursing homes; human remains; and individuals who donate or sell blood or blood components.
Sterilize The use of a physical or chemical procedure to destroy all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial endospores.
Universal Precautions A method of infection control in which all human blood and certain body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV and other bloodborne pathogens.
Work Practice Controls Controls that reduce the likelihood of exposure by altering the manner in which a task is performed.