Final answer:
Bloodborne pathogen infections are prevented by avoiding direct contact with blood, ensuring contaminated uniforms are cleaned, educating on the risks of unprotected sex, and not sharing personal items. Professional guidelines from health organizations are essential for maintaining a safe sports environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bloodborne pathogen infections can be prevented from spreading from one athlete to another by taking the following precautions:
- Ensuring athletes avoid direct contact with blood.
- Ensuring that uniforms with the presence of blood are cleaned and treated appropriately.
- Educating athletes on the risks associated with unprotected sex, which is important since several pathogens spread through sexual contact.
- Increasing awareness that there is a risk of HIV transmission during sports, although it is not high.
Items like towels, razors, and soap should not be shared, even in the absence of open wounds, due to the risk of pathogen transmission through indirect contact. Professional guidelines, such as those from the CDC, should be followed to reduce the risk of transmission in sports environments.