hygene and straight razors
Hi all
my question is two fold are used straight razors hygienic ? I am assuming so based upon the fact that they are steel and can be bleached or sterilized different ways the wife differs and thinks a used blade will pass on all sort of evils.
second part of my question is about buying second hand what questions should i ask?
the razor I am looking at is a zwilling from the seventies the seller says i cant see the blade in the picture because it is displayed closed.
I am sure the seller has little or no knowledge about this product but want to try and dont really want to be ripped off after all he is asking 800 rmb about 120 usd i think. is that sounding like a good deal?
Barber-related infection references
1. East Mediterr Health J. 2010 Jan;16(1):10-7.
Hepatitis B and C viral infection: prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice among barbers and clients in Gharbia governorate, Egypt.
Shalaby S, Kabbash IA, El Saleet G, Mansour N, Omar A, El Nawawy A.
Department of Public Health, Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Tanta, Tanta, Egypt. shalabys@gmail.com [corrected]
Erratum in:
East Mediterr Health J. 2010 Mar;16(3):280.
A study in Egypt determined the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among barbers (n = 308) and their clients (n = 308) in Gharbia governorate, and assessed knowledge, attitude and practices during hair-cutting and shaving. HBsAg was detected among 4.2% of barbers and 3.9% of clients (more urban than rural). Anti-HC antibodies were detected in 12.3% of barbers and 12.7% of clients. HCV-RNA prevalence was 9.1% among both barbers and clients (more rural than urban). Knowledge was high among the majority of participants and good practices during shaving and hair-cutting were observed for the majority of barbers. Barbers appeared to have no job-related risk of acquiring viral hepatitis.
2. S Afr Med J. 2005 Feb;95(2):94, 96.
Barber shaving and blood-borne disease transmission in developing countries.
Khaliq AA, Smego RA.
Department of Health Policy and Administration, College of Public Health,
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
3. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2009 Jul;7(4):239-46. Epub 2008 Nov 21.
Hazards of hepatitis at the Hajj.
Rafiq SM, Rashid H, Haworth E, Booy R.
Unit of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, KT18 7EG, Surrey, UK.
While an increased risk of hepatitis is associated with travel, the risk of
hepatitis associated with the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia has not been carefully quantified. Conditions unique to this gathering can pose the risk of both enteral and parenteral viral hepatitis. During this congregation, pilgrims stay in tents shared by 100 or more people often living on foods from street vendors and sharing common toilet facilities that can expose them to both hepatitis A and E. To mark the end of the festival, head shaving or trimming by fellow pilgrims or street barbers, who often re-use their razor may expose them to hepatitis B or C. Pilgrims are also at risk of cuts to the hands and feet while sacrificing cattle and walking barefooted, which may further increase the risk of parenteral viral hepatitis. Emerging diseases such as Alkhumra virus and Rift Valley fever, which may cause hepatitis, are also potentially important for the Hajj pilgrims. Improved health education to increase awareness about the risk
of these diseases and appropriate immunisations, particularly hepatitis A and B vaccines, could play an important role.
4. East Afr Med J. 2007 Feb;84(2):83-7.
Nosocomial infection in a Nigerian rural maternity centre: a series of nine cases.
Okezie OA, Onyemelukwe NF.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nigeria Teaching
Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND: An outbreak of urinary tract infection in a rural maternity hospital near Enugu, Nigeria led to bacteriological assessment which identified Serratia marcescens as the causative organism. An epidemiological investigation was done to trace the source of this organism. OBJECTIVE: To investigate an outbreak of urinary tract infection in a rural maternity centre. DESIGN: A descriptive study. SETTING: Maternity centre in a rural community near Enugu run by local midwives
assisted by auxiliary nurses trained by the midwives. SUBJECTS: Nine patients at term with symptoms of urinary tract infection. RESULTS: In all nine cases, the pigmented form of Serratia marcescens was found to be the cause of the urinary tract infection and the source of this organism was traced to the auxillary nurse who shaved the patients and the instrument she used. CONCLUSION: Since the causative organism of the outbreak of urinary infection in these women was traced to the shaving instruments used and the fingers of the auxillary nurse who shaved them, there is the need for better hygiene practices in the health centre and the
use of properly trained staff to attend to pregnant and parturient women. It is recommended that the practice of shaving parturient women should be discarded.
5. P. Skinmed. 2005 May-Jun;4(3):186-7.
Case study: inoculation herpes barbae.
Parlette EC, Polo JM.
Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan. ecparlette@hotmail.com
A 21-year-old white man in otherwise excellent general health was referred for a painful, progressive, facial eruption with associated fever, malaise, and cervicofacial lymphadenopathy. The patient reported that a vesicular eruption progressed from the left side of his face to also involve the right side of his face over the 48 hours preceding his clinic visit. He also reported some lesions in his throat and the back of his mouth causing pain and difficulty swallowing. Four to 7 days before presentation to us, the patient noted exposure to his girlfriend's cold sore. Additionally, he complained of a personal history of cold sores, but had no recent outbreaks. Physical examination revealed a somewhat ill man with numerous vesicles and donut-shaped, 2-4 mm, crusted erosions
predominantly on the left side of the bearded facial skin. There were fewer, but similar-appearing lesions, on the right-bearded skin. The lesions appeared folliculocentric (Figure). Cervical and submandibular lymphadenopathy was present. Oral exam showed shallow erosions on the tonsillar pillars and soft palate. Genital examination was normal. The remainder of the physical exam was unremarkable. A Tzanck smear of vesicular lesions was positive for balloon cells and many multinucleated giant cells with nuclear molding. A viral culture was performed which, in several days, came back positive for herpes simplex virus. The complete blood cell count documented a white blood cell count of 8000/mm3
with 82.6% neutrophils and 9.0% lymphocytes. Based on the clinical presentation and the positive Tzanck smear, the patient was diagnosed with herpes simplex barbae, most likely spread by shaving. The patient was started on acyclovir 200 mg p.o. five times daily for 10 days. Oxycodone 5 mg in addition to acetaminophen 325 mg (Percocet; Endo Pharmaceuticals, Chadds Ford, PA) was prescribed for pain relief. A 1:1:1 suspension of viscous lidocaine (Xylocaine; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Wilmington, DE), diphenhydramine (Benadryl; Pfizer Inc., New York, NY), and attapulgite (Kaopectate; Pfizer Inc., New York, NY) was given as a
swish and spit to relieve the oral discomfort. Good hygiene, no skin-to-skin
contact with others, and no further shaving to prevent autoinoculation were stressed. He was advised to discard his old razor.
6. J Clin Microbiol. 1987 Jul;25(7):1298-300.
Epidemic outbreak of Serratia marcescens infection in a cardiac surgery unit.
Wilhelmi I, Bernaldo de Quirós JC, Romero-Vivas J, Duarte J, Rojo E, Bouza E.
Between 2 February and 16 April 1985, an outbreak of Serratia marcescens
infection involving 10 male patients occurred in a cardiac surgery unit. All the patients had surgical wound infection, five also had osteomyelitis (four sternal, one costal), and another had peritonitis secondary to peritoneal dialysis. Three patients had concomitant bacteremia. All Serratia strains isolated produced a cherry-red pigment, and all had the same biochemical and antibiotic susceptibility pattern. An intensive search for the origin of the outbreak was initially unsuccessful, and it proved impossible to isolate S. marcescens from cultures of numerous samples taken from hospital personnel and from the environment. The fact that all patients were male and had been shaved for surgery by the same team of barbers led us to investigate the shaving procedures. We finally isolated a strain of pigmented S. marcescens, corresponding to that involved in the outbreak, from samples taken from the hands and equipment of the barbers. After suitable action had been taken, the epidemic terminated.
