Final answer:
Infected blood can enter the system through direct contact with infected body fluids or by pathogens being introduced through breaks in the skin or mucosa.
Step-by-step explanation:
Infected blood may enter an individual's system through various routes, but two common ways include:
- Direct contact with infected body fluids, such as blood, during activities like IV drug use, receiving transfusions, or through sexual transmission.
- Pathogens introduced into the bloodstream through breaches in the skin barrier or mucosa, which can happen due to contaminated catheters, dental procedures, piercings, wounds, or even activities as commonplace as tooth brushing.
These modes of transmission can lead to severe conditions such as septicemia, which can result from pathogens like bacteria breaching the body's physical barriers and entering the circulatory system.