Glossary
Abbreviations and acronyms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| AHPPC | Australian Health Protection Principal Committee |
| ARTG | Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods |
| ASHM | Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine |
| BBV | Blood-borne virus |
| BBVSS | Blood Borne Virus and Sexually Transmissible Infections Standing Subcommittee |
| CDNA | Communicable Diseases Network of Australia |
| DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid |
| EMR | Electronic medical record |
| ERG | Expert Reference Group |
| EPP | Exposure prone procedure |
| HBV | Hepatitis B Virus |
| HCV | Hepatitis C Virus |
| HIV | Human Immunodeficiency Virus |
| IEC | Institutional Ethics Committee |
| IVD | In-Vitro Diagnostic Device |
| MBS | Medicare Benefits Schedule |
| MSAC | Medical Services Advisory Committee |
| MSM | Men who have sex with men |
| NAT | Nucleic acid test |
| NATA | National Association of Testing Authorities |
| NHMRC | National Health and Medical Research Council |
| NPAAC | National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council |
| NRL | National Serology Reference Laboratory, Australia |
| PEP | Post-exposure prophylaxis |
| PrEP | Pre-exposure prophylaxis |
| PWID | People who inject drugs |
| RANZCOG | Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
| RCPA | Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia |
| RNA | Ribonucleic acid |
| SoNG | Series of National Guidelines |
| STI | Sexually Transmissible Infection |
| TGA | Therapeutic Goods Administration |
Compulsory Testing
Where a person has no choice in being tested, e.g. as directed under a Public Health Order.
Exposure Prone Procedure
Defined by the Communicable Diseases Network Australia’s national guidelines as a subset of ‘invasive procedures’ characterised by the potential for direct contact between the skin (usually finger or thumb) of the healthcare worker and sharp surgical instruments, needles or sharp tissues (spicules of bone or teeth) in body cavities or in poorly visualised or confined body sites (including the mouth). In the broader sense, an exposure-prone procedure is considered to be any situation where there is a potentially high risk of transmission of blood borne disease from healthcare worker to patient during medical or dental procedures.
Mandatory testing
Refers to situations where people may neither participate in certain activities nor access certain services unless they agree to be tested. Examples of circumstances in which mandatory testing is appropriate include before blood, tissue and organ donation, and for immigration purposes.
Occupational exposure
An exposure that may place an employee at risk of HIV, HBV or HCV infection through percutaneous injury (e.g. a needlestick or cut with a sharp object, contact of mucous membranes, or contact of skin with blood, tissues or other potentially infectious body fluids to which Universal Precautions apply).
Acknowledgement of Country