LETTER
Don't Share Razors or Toothbrushes
Richard Frothingham, MD
15 July 1994 | Volume 121 Issue 2 | Pages 153-154
TO THE EDITOR:
Dr. Shapiro's review [1] of the transmission of hepatitis viruses was excellent. He noted that those with hepatitis B virus or C virus infection should not share razor blades or toothbrushes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a similar recommendation regarding the human immunodeficiency virus. Razors and toothbrushes are frequently contaminated with blood and come into contact with nonintact skin or mucous membranes. In a health care setting, they would be considered semi-critical instruments that require high-level disinfection between patients [2].
Those who work in hospitals, where even the bedpans are disposable, may find it obvious that razors and toothbrushes should not be shared. It is not obvious to everyone. A leading consumer magazine recently advocated sharing razors within households [3]. The author is aware of shared razors in a mental institution, a nursing home, a barber shop, and prisons.
Household transmission of hepatitis B virus occurs with some frequency, but the mechanisms are poorly understood [1, 4]. Among New Zealand adolescents, household sharing of toothbrushes was the strongest risk factor for hepatitis B virus seropositivity (odds ratio, 5.18; CI, 1.42 to 18.92) [4]. Household transmission of HIV is known to be rare, but a shared razor blade was suspected in one case [5]. The major routes of transmission for blood-borne pathogens are sexual, percutaneous, and mother-to-infant. However, a simple recommendation can be made: Razors and toothbrushes should not be shared in households or institutions.
1. Shapiro CN. Transmission of hepatitis viruses. Ann Intern Med. 1994; 120:82-4.
2. Rutala WA. APIC guideline for selection and use of disinfectants. Am J Infect Control. 1990; 18:99-117.
3. Gillette touts a gender-specific razor. Consumer Reports. 1993; 58:125.
4. Atmore C, Milne A, Pearce N. Modes of hepatitis B virus transmission in New Zealand. N Z Med J. 1989; 102:277-80.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV transmission between two adolescent brothers with hemophilia. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1993; 42:948-51.
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