Can Razor Blades Transmit Hepatitis B Virus?
At the 46th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, taking place this week in San Francisco, researchers presented data from a study evaluating the role of shared razors in the spread of hepatitis B in Turkey. The researchers noted that while the route of transmission of HBV is mainly parenteral (direct blood contact), epidemiological studies have shown that perinatal (mother-to-child), sexual, household, and occupational transmission also occur. In about half of all cases in Turkey, the transmission route is unknown. In this study, 78 used razor blades were purchased from different barber shops; 8 used razor blades from chronic hepatitis B patients were used as positive controls. Razors were placed in DNAse- and RNAse-free test tubes, and HBV amplification and detection were performed using a nested PCR method in a thermal cycler. The researchers found that 6 razor blade samples (7.7%) contained detectable HBV DNA. Reuse of razor blades that carry HBV can infect other people, the researchers concluded. "Hence, any HBV control and prevention program should educate barbers about the importance of contagious diseases, proper sterilization techniques, and avoiding reuse and sharing of contaminated equipment and supplies like razor blade," they wrote. 09/29/06 Reference
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