Factsheet - Preventing Hep C Transmission (Page 2 of 3) in pdf

Safe injecting advice

Illicit drug injecting presents risks for transmission of blood borne viruses. In addition to “use a

new fit for every hit”, current safe injecting advice includes messages about the physical

environment in which people inject, the whole range of equipment used, and the processes

involved.

People are advised to make injecting as sterile as possible. Wash hands and wipe down the

preparation area. Each person should have new single use equipment (swabs, mixing spoon, fit,

filter, torniquet). Wash hands to avoid cross contamination before and after assisting others and

safely dispose of used equipment.

Further details around safe injecting can be found in Handy Hints (contact NUAA, below),

Transmission Magazine and Hep Review magazine (contact the Hepatitis Infoline).

For further safe injecting advice, people should contact NUAA, ADIS or their local NSP.

Needle and syringe programs

NSPs were introduced in the mid 1980s to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS among people who

inject drugs. They remain our key initiative for preventing blood borne viral infections such as

HCV. While NSP has been successful in containing the spread of HIV/AIDS among people who

inject drugs, they have been less successful in containing the spread of hep C.

The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, the hep C prevalence among people who inject was

already high when NSP was introduced (increasing the risk of infection whenever people shared

injecting equipment). Secondly, hep C is a more infectious virus than HIV (the risk of infection

through microscopic amounts of contaminated blood is higher).

NSPs remain a very cost-effective and successful initiative. Many public health experts believe

Australia’s needle and syringe programs should be expanded and enhanced so as to better

address the hep C epidemic.

Infection control in health care settings and other workplaces

In order to prevent transmission of bloodborne viral infections – including hep C – hospitals and

other health care settings adopt “Standard Precautions”. This involves treating all blood and body

fluids, except sweat, as being potentially infectious. With the exception of health care workers

involved in exposure prone procedures, individuals with hep C are not obliged to inform their

employer or other staff of their infection (see Workplace issues factsheet).

In line with Occupational Health & Safety legislation, all work places must provide readily

accessible first aid and infection control measures. Any blood or body fluid spill in the workplace

should be considered potentially infectious, whether the person is known to have hep C or not.

When responding to blood spills, all staff should use standard infection control precautions

regardless of their hep C status.

Factsheet - Preventing Hep C Transmission Page 2