Introduction 'Control of hospital infections' 4th ed. defines blood-borne viral infection as follows: “When the blood contains infectious agents that can be transferred to the body of another person, causing infection” (1). Blood-borne viruses can pose a significant risk to healthcare workers. The greatest risks lie in contracting HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C (2). These particular infections can cause both asymptomatic and symptomatic infections. The biggest risk in the hospital is exposure to blood-borne viruses. In the UK alone there are approximately over 50,000 incidents per year(3). Different examples of blood-borne viruses will be discussed, including their epidemiology, transmission and infection prevention and control measures. Guidelines used in clinical settings regarding blood-borne viruses will also be described. where there is a risk of transmission of blood-borne viruses and other infectious diseases (2012) (available on the HPSC website, http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/EMIToolkit/EMIToolkit.pdf Date of consultation: 02/26/2014 ). Blood-borne viruses in hemodialysis, CAPD and kidney transplantation, 2013 (available on the HPSC website http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/Hepatitis/ BloodborneVirus/File,4374,en.pdf Consultation date: 02/28/2014).ContextHepatitis B virus (HBV) Called Danish particle, the hepatitis B virus is a double-stranded hepadnavirus (1). Particle diameter up to 45 nm(4).It has an incubation of approximately 40 to 160 days(2) and can be detected in blood, semen and vaginal secretions...... middle of paper. ..... Waste . HSE, Ireland.23. Deuffic-Burban S, Delarocque-Astagneau E, Abiteboul D, Bouvet E, Yazdanpanah Y. 2011. Blood-borne viruses in health workers: Prevention and management. Journal of Clinical Virology 52: 4-10.24. HPSC. 2012. http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/EMIToolkit/EMIToolkit.pdf Date accessed: 02/26/2014.25. HPSC. 2013. http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/Hepatitis/BloodborneVirus/File,4374,en.pdf Date accessed: 02/28/2014.26. HPSC. 2012. http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/Hepatitis/HepatitisB/HepatitisBreports/HepatitisAnnualReports/File,14469,en.pdf Accessed 02/26/2014.27. HPSC. 2012. http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/Hepatitis/HepatitisC/HepatitisCreports/HepatitisAnnualReports/File,14470,en.pdf Date accessed: 26/02/2014.28. HPSC. 2012. http://www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/AZ/HIVSTIs/HIVandAIDS/SurveillanceReports/File,14127,en.pdf Date accessed: 26/02/2014.