Final answer:
Practices based on the assumption that all patient specimens may contain infectious agents are known as standard or universal precautions. They include the use of personal protective equipment and hand hygiene to prevent the direct and indirect transmission of infectious agents.
Step-by-step explanation:
Practices that are based on the principle that all specimens from patients contain transmissible infectious agents are referred to as standard precautions or universal precautions. These practices highlight the idea that every patient's specimen should be considered potentially infectious for bloodborne pathogens.
The rationale behind this is to minimize the risk of transmission and protect healthcare workers along with others who might come in contact with such specimens. This approach assumes that all human blood and certain body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious for HIV, HBV, and other bloodborne pathogens.
Examples of standard precautions include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hand hygiene, and proper equipment handling. Adherence to these precautions is crucial to prevent both direct and indirect contact transmission, where an infectious agent is transferred between hosts through contact with a contaminated object or fomite, as well as to curtail common source spread and iatrogenic diseases.