Which infection prevention approach requires treating all blood and body fluids as if infected?

• A. Standard Precautions
• B. Personal Protective Equipment
• C. Hand Hygiene
• D. Medical Asepsis

Answer: (A)

Standard Precautions require treating all blood and body fluids as if infected, because anyone’s secretions could carry pathogens. In practice, you apply these precautions with every patient, not just when infection is suspected. Use gloves for contact with any body fluids, and wear gowns, masks, or eye protection when splashes or contact with mucous membranes are possible. Practice hand hygiene before and after patient contact and after removing gloves to prevent transferring germs. Include safe handling of needles and proper cleaning and disinfection of the environment and shared equipment.

PPE is a part of this approach—the gear you wear helps prevent exposure—but it isn’t the whole concept by itself. Hand hygiene is a crucial component, but it works within the broader Standard Precautions framework. Medical Asepsis is an older term for clean technique and is more limited in scope than Standard Precautions.