Ace the CIC Challenge 2026 – Master Infection Prevention and Rock Your Career!

The correct choice points to sweat as the substance that is not covered by standard precautions. Standard precautions are the minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patient care, regardless of the suspected or confirmed infection status of the patient. They involve the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and specific measures to prevent the spread of infection.

Blood, urine, and vomit are all potentially infectious materials that require careful handling and the application of standard precautions to reduce the risk of transmission. These substances can contain pathogens that pose a risk for transmission of infections, necessitating the use of gloves, gowns, and other protective measures when handling them.

On the other hand, sweat is not considered a risk for transmission of infections in the same way that the other substances are. The CDC does not consider sweat to be a body fluid that routinely requires standard precautions because it is not typically associated with the spread of infectious agents. Thus, understanding the roles different body fluids play in infection transmission helps clarify why sweat falls outside the scope of standard precautions.