Bloodborne pathogens are infectious microorganisms found in human blood that pose a risk of disease transmission, including viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B. Firefighters and EMS personnel may encounter these pathogens during patient care scenarios, particularly in high-risk environments like trauma incidents or medical emergencies. Not to be confused with airborne pathogens, which spread through respiratory droplets, bloodborne pathogens require specific precautions to mitigate exposure risks in the Hot Zone of an incident. In EMS contexts, it is commonly framed alongside structured communication and triage concepts such as START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) or SALT (Sort, Assess, Lifesaving interventions, Treatment/Transport) as shared terminology.
Category context: Patient care, assessment, interventions, triage, and EMS system terms commonly used by firefighter/medics.