Expert: Terry B - 11/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: Dear Terry,

Thanks for the great work that you are doing. I spent quite some time reading your archive and I am impressed with the job that you are doing and unfortunately I couldn't find something similar to my scenario.
I had 2 days cut on my scalp and during the hair cut the hair stylist removed the scab that formed on the cut when he was combing my hair with bristle brush and caused it to bleed a little, there was at least 5 mins interval time between the last customer and I. Now I am terrified because I came across this article http://www.aidssociety.com/internationalaids.html when I was looking for an answer.
I really need your help here to assess my risk and do I need to get tested for this particular incident?

Your help is highly appreciated.

Armando


ANSWER: Dear Armando:

Peace and all good things to you and yours.  I used your link to look at the website; the article and information certainly resembled nothing I had seen previously, and then I sought out proceedings of the 2002 international AIDS conference.  There was no Jozsef A Durgo in a search of abstracts; further investigation into the aidssociety.com site shows recommendations on how to make herbal medicines in your own kitchen and how to deal with sciatica - a back condition.  Evidently anyone can set up a site and pick a name that implies some credence - but a careful check is worth doing... and I find no evidence that this is legitimate.

If you want reliable information on HIV/AIDS go to www.avert.org or www.thebody.com - or to one of the real HIV/AIDS websites at www.unaids.org or www.who.org - these are peer reviewed sites - meaning that people with knowledge about HIV/AIDS review articles prior to publishing them, to ensure that what is stated is legitimate science, not scare tactics or ... well, unbalanced folk (to be kind).

In short, I don't see you being at significant risk in part because your risk of HIV infection depends on the presence of the virus - from an infected person - in blood in this case; if the brush were soaked in a solution, the amount would be diluted, if an antiseptic solution, the cells containing HIV would most probably be destroyed, the cut on your head, while increasing your risk somewhat, would be pushing blood out of the scalp (versus an injection into your bloodstream... there are just too many factors to identify this as a legitimate, significant risk.

Bottom line, HIV is not spread casually.  I don't see you as being at risk.

Please - all readers - remember that there are people who would take advantage of your fears and lack of information on HIV/AIDS.  Go to responsible, peer-reviewed sites such as those mentioned above to verify (or search under name or topic) when you read questionable articles.  The science and experience these sites (and the women and men who serve them) provide to the public is invaluable.

Thanks for the question, Armando, and for giving me an opportunity to respond to what seems an irresponsible site giving misleading information.  

Again, best to you.

Terry

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Terry,

Thank you so much for informative reply. You are just a wonderful person, I really appreciate all your efforts and the time you spent to verify the misleading information.
I just want to mention that the hair dresser doesn't use any liquid to soak the brushes, they are dry, would that change your assessment? do I need to worry about this incident or just move on with my life?

Thank you so much for your help.

Armando


Answer
Dear Armando:

Peace.  Thanks for the supportive words.  Again, it is difficult for me to comment as an expert on the hairbrush issue.  If I look at the relative risk, unless it was wet with the blood of a person infected, I don't see it as significant risk.  If this is your only risk, no - I don't see a "need" to be tested.  If it helps your peace of mind, it will do you no harm to go to a voluntary (anonymous if possible) counseling and testing site and be sure.

Terry