Summary

Chronic hepatitis C patients are advised not to share toothbrushes,
razors, nail-scissors or other personal articles that potentially may
have been in contact with blood, with others. This study examines the
contamination of toothbrushes in patients with chronic hepatitis C as a
model for a possible unconventional way of transmission. In 30 patients
with chronic hepatitis C, 2 mL of saliva (before and after
toothbrushing) and the toothbrush rinsing water after toothbrushing were
tested for HCV-RNA. Saliva before and after toothbrushing was positive
for HCV-RNA in nine (30%) and 11 patients (36.7%), respectively. Twelve
of the toothbrush rinsing water specimens (40%) tested HCV-RNA-positive.
In six of these 12 patients, the 'native' saliva had been negative for
HCV-RNA. Patients with HCV-RNA-positive toothbrush rinsing water showed
no significant differences from those with negative rinsing water with
respect to certain clinical, biochemical and virological parameters. In
conclusion, our study demonstrates a contamination with HCV-RNA of a
considerable portion of toothbrushes used by hepatitis C patients,
suggesting at least a theoretical risk of infection by sharing these
objects and strengthening the recommendations to take care of a clear
separation of these personal care objects between patients and their
household members.

Full text at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/543531

Thomas