[Question #4738] blade razor

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79 months ago

Dear Dr,

Thanks for your time and effort.

I went yesterday to a barbershop and had my beard shaved using blade razor that was (used) and he had injured me (small cut). I do understand that the razor has to be contaminated with infected blood to have a risk exposure, so let’s assume it is.

  1. What would be the risk of HIV infection?

  2. I did understand that it is a risk of transferring all kind of hepatitis so my question is: if I had a hepatitis B&C vaccine in my childhood ( I am in my 40s now) will it still be active?

  3. Do I need to do any test or visit a doctor for this?

  4. How long do HIV live in a razor surface?

  5. Since it is a sharp razor, the amount of blood is few, will this make a different?

  6. Finally, what is the  window period for a 100% HIV test (4th generation).

Thanks


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Edward W. Hook M.D.
79 months ago
Welcome to the Forum and thanks for you confidence in our advice.  We get many questions of this sort, related to the risk of acquiring HIV, hepatitis or other blood borne infections from razors used in barber shops.  To my knowledge, there has never been an HIV infection proven to have been transmitted in this way and the risk is only theoretical, in the same way that you might be theoretically struck by lightening.  Logically exposures of this sort should be high risk for a number of reasons including that, since most people do not have HIV or hepatitis, it is unlikely that the razor was used on an infected person before you and that if it was, it is unlikely that the person was cut and their blood remained on the razor.  Even if it did however, because razor blades are solid, they would not carry blood forward in the same way that a hollow needle might.  Finally, HIV and hepatitis viruses are fragile and almost immediately become non-infectious upon exposure to the air due to drying and temperatures lower than body temperatures.  Thus, in answer to your specific questions:

  1. What would be the risk of HIV infection?  The risk is virtually zero and not something to worry about. 

  2. I did understand that it is a risk of transferring all kind of hepatitis so my question is: if I had a hepatitis B&C vaccine in my childhood ( I am in my 40s now) will it still be active?  If you had been vaccinated for hepatitis B in childhood you would still be protected.  There is no vaccine for hepatitis C

  3. Do I need to do any test or visit a doctor for this?  No, no testing is needed

  4. How long do HIV live in a razor surface?   Please see my comments above, the viruses would become non-infectious almost immediately after exposure to the air.

  5. Since it is a sharp razor, the amount of blood is few, will this make a different?  Again, in a theoretical sense, the amount of blood might make a difference but from a practical point of view it is not a concern

  6. Finally, what is the  window period for a 100% HIV test (4th generation).  If you feel the need to test (I do not feel that testing is needed in the situation you describe) tests for HIV using a combination HIV antigen/antibody ("4th generation" test would detect over 99% of infections at 4 weeks after the event and be entirely conclusive at 6 weeks after the event.

I hope that this information is helpful.  Please don't worry.  EWH




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