African Journal of
Microbiology Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Microbiol. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0808
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJMR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 5233

Short Communication

The role of hematites (bloodstones) communally used in barbershops in the transmission of Hepatitis B virus

Aziz ÖÄŸütlü1*, ÅžimÅŸek F.2, Teker B.3, Tuna N.1 and Karabay, O1.
1Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic, Korucuk, Sakarya, Turkey. 2Private Nisa Hospital, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey. 3Okmeydanı Training and Research Hospital, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 21 October 2013
  •  Published: 03 December 2013

Abstract

In many countries, an apparatus called hematite (bloodstone) is used to stop bleeding caused by shaving in men in barbershops. One hematite may be used for more than one person. Till date, there are no studies that demonstrate the role of these stones in hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission. The aim of this study was to show the role of hematites used for more than one person in barbershops in the transmission of Hepatitis B. The hematites were numbered and DNA of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV DNA) load was investigated by PCR. We could not detect HBV DNA in any of the 20 hematites. As a result, there was no scientific evidence of hematites transmitting HBV DNA.

 

Key words: Hematite, hepatitis B virus, barbershop.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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