Microbiology Cheat Sheet
Confidentiality & Prevention Systems
Lab ethics, confidentiality and prevention systems for NEET-PG: biomedical waste colour coding, needle-stick PEP, HIV Act 2017, NTEP, NACO, and UIP programmes.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Confidentiality & Prevention Systems
Lab ethics, confidentiality and prevention systems for NEET-PG: biomedical waste colour coding, needle-stick PEP, HIV Act 2017, NTEP, NACO, and UIP programmes.
This topic covers laboratory ethics, patient confidentiality in reporting results, biomedical waste management, needle-stick injury protocols, and India's national health programmes for infectious disease prevention.
High-yield lines
- Under the HIV and AIDS Act 2017, disclosure of HIV results without consent is punishable, with exceptions for significant risk to a sexual partner or a court order.
- Mandatory notification of notifiable diseases overrides individual confidentiality, but only the minimum necessary information should be disclosed.
- Biomedical waste yellow category (human anatomical waste, soiled dressings, microbiology waste) is treated by incineration, deep burial, or plasma pyrolysis.
- Red category biomedical waste (contaminated plastics such as tubing, catheters, and IV sets) is autoclaved or microwaved and then recycled.
- White puncture-proof containers hold sharps such as needles, scalpels, and broken glass, treated by autoclaving or dry heat followed by shredding.
- Blue category holds uncontaminated glassware and metallic implants, treated by autoclaving or chemical treatment before recycling.
- Segregation of biomedical waste at the point of generation is the single most critical step in waste management.
- Recapping needles is the most common cause of needle-stick injury and is strictly prohibited.
- HIV post-exposure prophylaxis after a needle-stick injury uses a three-drug ART regimen started within 2 hours and continued for 28 days.
- NTEP uses CBNAAT (GeneXpert) as the initial test for all presumptive TB, detecting M. tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance within 2 hours, with notification through NIKSHAY.
- NACO follows Strategy III HIV testing, using three different rapid tests in sequence for diagnosis in adults.
- The Universal Immunisation Programme provides BCG, OPV/IPV, pentavalent, rotavirus, PCV, MR, and JE vaccines, with Mission Indradhanush targeting at least 90 percent coverage.
- NVBDCP addresses malaria, dengue, kala-azar, lymphatic filariasis, and JE, using malaria RDT plus ACT and rK39 for kala-azar.
- After a needle-stick injury, wash immediately with soap and water without squeezing, report within 2 hours, and assess source HIV, HBV, and HCV status.
Mapped competency codes
- MI8.11
- MI8.12
- MI8.14
- MI8.16
Continue into the full chapter
This summary maps to MI8-zoonotic-diseases-and-miscellaneous.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which biomedical waste goes into the yellow bin?
Human anatomical waste, soiled dressings, discarded medicines, and microbiology waste, which are treated by incineration or deep burial.
How quickly must HIV PEP be started after a needle-stick injury?
Within 2 hours, ideally within 1 hour, using a three-drug ART regimen continued for 28 days.
What is the initial diagnostic test for TB under NTEP?
CBNAAT or GeneXpert, which detects M. tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance simultaneously within 2 hours from a single sputum sample.
When can HIV results be disclosed without patient consent?
Only for significant risk to a sexual partner or under a court order, as protected by the HIV and AIDS Act 2017.
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