Viral Hepatitis
Jan 17, 2002 11:01 AM
HEPATITIS B IN SCHOOLS
Q: SO LEVEL WITH ME. ARE UFT MEMBERS LIKELY TO CATCH HEPATITIS B AT THEIR SCHOOLS?
A: Some school employees such as school nurses and health aides have job duties that involve routine exposure to blood. Just like health care personnel working in hospitals, these school employees could contract hepatitis B if they sustain direct contact with infected blood.
Other school staff with some risk of exposure to hepatitis B include any physical education teachers, school secretaries and school safety officers who frequently deal with injured students. Custodial staff who are responsible for cleaning up any blood spills could be in danger. Some special education teachers and paraprofessionals also may be at risk if they accompany children receiving medical procedures or work with children who bite and scratch.
Q: WHAT ABOUT CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF WHOSE JOBS DON'T INCLUDE SPECIAL RISK FACTORS?
A: For these school staff there is NO danger of contracting hepatitis B while following normal school routines. Repeat: NO DANGER.
Q: WHAT ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT AREN'T ROUTINE?
A: There is some risk if an employee is called upon to provide first aid in a situation that involves significant blood loss. This could include helping a student care for a major nose bleed.
Transmission of hepatitis B through a deep human bite also has been documented.
Information on how to protect yourself in situations where you could be exposed to blood or other body fluids is provided in the next section of this pamphlet.
Q: HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT THE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL ARE INFECTED WITH HEPATITIS B?
A: The United States Centers for Disease Control estimate that one of every 300 school age children is a carrier of the hepatitis B virus. The infection is more common among children who have been institutionalized, children whose families emigrated from countries where hepatitis B is more prevalent than in the United States (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Amazon Basin in South America, the Pacific Islands and the Middle East) and adolescents who engage in risky sexual activity or injecting drug use.
