- HIV may have been passed between two sisters who shared
a razor to shave their legs, scientists said today.
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- The report, in the journal Aids, is described as a "sobering"
reminder that the disease can be spread in unusual ways.
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- In this case, an 18-year-old girl from Australia caught
the disease on the first occasion she had sex.
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- Her 16-year-old sister later tested positive for the
virus when she donated blood.
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- Both teenagers had a particular subtype of the virus
which is very rare in Australia, making it highly likely that one had infected
the other.
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- The older girl was unaware of her HIV infection until
doctors began to investigate how her younger sister - who had never had
sex - had contracted the virus.
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- Extensive questioning by doctors revealed only that the
pair shared a bathroom, and perhaps occasionally had used the same razor
to remove body hair.
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- Body fluids
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- HIV can be spread through contact with blood or other
body fluids from an infected person, so it is possible that the 18-year-old
nicked her leg with the razor, left blood on the blade, which was then
passed into a similar cut by 16-year-old.
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- However, the experts who assessed the case say that findings
do not represent a "significant risk factor" for HIV spread.
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- It remains primarily a disease spread either by sex,
or by the use of contaminated medical equipment, perhaps as part of injecting
drug use.
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- Early fears that the virus could be transmitted through
kissing, hugging or even sharing the same lavatory seat have been quashed.
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- There have, however, been other cases in which HIV has
been passed with no obvious explanation.
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- In one case - also in Australia - a mother may have contracted
HIV after applying ointment to psoriasis scales on the skin of her infected
son.
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- © BBC MMIII
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3080244.stm
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