A client is told that he is a carrier of the hepatitis B virus. When a

A client is told that he is a carrier of the hepatitis B virus. When asked to explain this situation in more detail, the nurse’s best response is:

1. “You need to be careful not to pass the virus to other people.”
2. “You aren’t sick, but you do have the virus within your body.”
3. “Be tested often so as to monitor whether the virus becomes active.”
4. “While you show no signs of the illness, you can pass the virus to others.”

ANSWER

ANS: 4
Carriers are persons who show no symptoms of illness but who have pathogens on or in their bodies that are transferred to others. While the other options are not incorrect, they do not ad-dress the client’s questions as directly as does the answer.