Anthony LaFaziaCEO, Atlantic Training · CEO at Atlantic Training | EdTech & Safety Compliance Leader

Know Your Risk: A Detailed Look at Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV (Bloodborne Pathogens)

12 Dec 2025 · 3 min

Watch on YouTube

2:46

This is a public-health explainer (YouTube) about bloodborne pathogens focusing on Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV), and HIV. It defines bloodborne pathogens, describes disease-specific risks (HBV can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer; HCV is a leading cause of liver failure; HIV attacks the immune system), and summarizes prevention/treatment facts: HBV has a highly effective vaccine and can survive in dried blood on surfaces for at least seven days; HCV currently has no vaccine and can survive outside the body for variable periods (sometimes days under certain conditions); HIV has no cure but effective treatments exist. The transcript lists common symptoms (fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting, abdominal/joint pain, dark urine, clay-colored stool, jaundice for hepatitis; and fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, mouth ulcers for HIV) and repeatedly advises seeking medical advice when in doubt.

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So what exactly are we dealing with? Bloodborne pathogens, or BDPs, are infectious microorganisms in human blood that can cause severe, lifelong and even fatal diseases. While there are a whole bunch of these, our focus is on the three most common and dangerous. Let's consider first, Hepatitis B or hpv. This resilient virus attacks the liver. An HBV infection can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. The virus can survive in dried blood on a surface for at least seven days. Days? That's crazy, right? The good news is that there's actually a highly effective vaccine available that stimulates your body to create antibodies, which provides long term protection. Then there's Hepatitis C or hcv. Like hbv, this virus attacks your liver and it's a leading cause of liver failure. A lot of people show no symptoms for years while the virus slowly damages the liver. Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine for HCV and it can actually survive outside of the body for variable periods, sometimes days under certain conditions. It's important to know the symptoms of the HEP viruses. So listen, in general, you need to be on the lookout for one or in particular, a combination of these symptoms. Fever and fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and or vomiting, abdominal or joint pain, dark urine, clay colored stool, and jaundice. Look, when in doubt, seek out a doctor's advice. Always. This list rounds out with the infamous human immunodeficiency virus, better known by its acronym, hiv. This is the virus that causes aids, which really needs no introduction, right? HIV attacks the immune system, weakening the body's defense against other infections. There's no cure, but there are effective treatments to manage the virus and provide the best chance at having long, healthy lives. Symptoms of HIV can include fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and mouse ulcers. Now, of course, these can be signs of any number of illnesses, but again, when in doubt, seek medical advice.