Infection Control · single question
Which pathogen poses the GREATEST risk of infection to healthcare workers through occupational exposure?
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Correct answer: C. Hepatitis B virus (HBV)
- A. HIV needlestick transmission risk is approximately 0.3% — the lowest of the bloodborne pathogens.
- B. HCV transmission via needlestick is approximately 1.8% — significant but far lower than HBV (~6-30%).
- C. HBV poses the GREATEST occupational infection risk due to its extremely high viral load in blood (up to 10^9 virions/mL), persistence on surfaces for up to 7 days, and high infectivity. Needlestick from HBV+ patient: ~6-30% transmission risk — far higher than HCV (~1.8%) or HIV (~0.3%).
- D. TB (airborne, not bloodborne) poses occupational risk through prolonged close contact with active TB — not through the same high-viremia needlestick mechanism as HBV.
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