Common Hazards at a Trauma Scene Hepatitis (B)  Transmission – Occurs when blood or body fluids from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not immune.  HBV is spread through having sex with an infected person without using a condom, sharing needles when shooting drugs, through needle sticks or sharps exposure on the job, or from an infected mother to her baby during birth. Hepatitis B is very durable, and it can survive in dried blood for up to seven days. Tuberculosis Transmission- Tuberculosis (TB) is spread from person to person through the air.  When people with TB disease of the lungs or throat cough or sneeze, they can put TB germs into the air. Then other people who breath in the air containing these germs can become infected. TB is an airborne virus. HIV/AIDS Transmission- HIV is spread by sexual contact with an infected person, by sharing needles and/or syringes with someone who is infected, or through transfusions.  In health care settings workers have been infected by needle sticks containing HIV infected blood. Infection has occurred when infected blood gets into a workers cut, or mucous membrane. (for example, the eyes or the inside of the nose) The HIV virus is very fragile and will not survive outside the body. Meningitis Transmission-  Meningitis most commonly spread through direct contact with respiratory secretions (e.g., saliva, sputum, or nasal mucus) of an infected person.  This usually comes by shaking an infected person hand, or touching something they have handled, and then rubbing your own nose, mouth, or eyes.  The virus can also be found in the stool of an infected person. MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactam antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph, approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA. Staph or MRSA infections in the community are usually manifested as skin infections, such as pimples and boils, and occur in otherwise healthy people.