The [him] moderator has received this anonymous comment ... about razors.
"The other myth of "transmission (of HIV and not of HBV or C) among Burmese Buddhist monks, the razor blade (usually not the Gillette style but the big folding type: one of the eight official essential items for Buddhist monks as prescribed in the Theravada literature) while sharing it in shaving their heads in a monastery" is also a very common one. There are monks and devotees alike who would swear with their life that they or their revered one got infected from a razor (as opposed to sex or needle)."
And a well known expatriate economist also holds this view: http://kyimaykaung.blogspot.com/2007/11/3-reasons-to-get-vaccinated-for-flu.html
Of course razors do not transmit HIV either.
Any other myths out there?
[him] moderator
"Yes, We educate young people in Myanmar to have tattoos with unclean needles is dangerous for HIV transmission. If it was a myth, it means we all educate our young people with wrong fact. Very important to know it is good or bad to educate people such way."
Young people have a right to hear the truth. No HIV transmission has ever been proven from tattooing. But hepatitis C has been transmitted by tattooing. A new sterile needle should be used for each person.
Please stop by the site any time. Thanks for your participation.
Yes, We educate young people in Myanmar to have tattoos with unclean needles is dangerous for HIV transmission. If it was a myth, it means we all educate our young people with wrong fact. Very important to know it is good or bad to educate people such way.
OK, I Apologize. English is not my first language so my usage of words might not be that correct. And I will be very direct. But when you look at back your posts you will realize why I said so. Again I am sorry for using the word “ bitterly” Maybe some other word…I don’t know what it will be.
You said you will ask for sterile needles but for Hep C not for HIV. Then you said you never said there is no risk for HIV by tatooing?????. Simply I am confused. Again maybe I cannot follow your English.
To me, Ploenijai Taekasem’s report is nothing wrong. I welcome stopping tattooing with unsterile instrument in Prison to prevent HIV and other viruses. Very good. Of course we should not forget about men to men sex in prison too. Very unfaire to name as a myth. Can I use the word unfair? Sorry if it is not appropriate.
Mosquito is a different issue. We must really educate people it is a myth because it can cause many other bad consequences of believing in such way. But tattoos…no point.
And I am still looking forward to read the excellent articles you are referring. Maybe in next year. Bye
Please be very careful when you use words like "bitterly" to apply to web comments. This is your interpretation of another person's feelings. Let us discuss the facts and not each other's feelings.
With respect to HIV, I have never said there is no risk to tattooing. I say there is no scientific evidence that it is a risk and many studies that show it is not a risk. There is no scientific evidence that mosquito bites are a risk for transmission of HIV. You and I both agree to say it is a myth. There is no scientific evidence that tattooing is a risk for HIV transmission. I call it a myth. You do not.
Sterile needles should be used for each and every tattoo. There is scientific evidence of transmission of hepatitis C by this route. Tattooing is a risk for transmission of hepatitis C.
Just give me one of those many multivariate articles around world which you think is the best. It sounds like I have to be doubtful whether I am a human being or not because there is no evidence on the web.
Everyone knows any sharp object that cut your skin and can cause ( significant) bleeding carries the risk of HIV transmission if you share with other people. Go and observe how they get tattoos during pagoda festival. Then you know. People are in queue to have tattoos, artists use the same needles and dirty cloths, you can see significant amount of bleeding. Getting one by one continuously. Anyone who can think properly and has seen them getting tattoos will say it is dangerous.
Of course, mosquito bite is myth. But needles from quacks (even licensed doctors in some part of the world) are dangerous too. You need to observe more too how they get injection in villages. It is especially risky when they get intravenous injections. Just like needles sharing among drug users. In such situation, how they can prove man? Do you think it is that easy to document.
I do not know what your motive behind it to say bitterly it is a myth. What is the whole point? I feel it is very dangerous. If there is no evidence, I will just say there is no evidence. No evidence simply means no evidence. It is very important for me to make it clear the difference between no evidence and no risk of HIV for the sake of people. Using Google is great but We also have to use our noodle too. I repeat I will never get tattoos from such place and like wise, I will always try to stop people getting tattoos from such places. I don’t have any ill feeling toward tattoos artists or those who have tattoos or researchers from both sides. Actually I like tattoos but I care about people and I care about what I say. All sorts of blood borne viruses can transmit by tattooing (if the instruments are not sterile). And it is very very easy to know the instruments are far way from being sterile in Myanmar tattoos’ context.
Thanks for taking the time to research this issue. It is important that myths not persist a quarter century after the discovery of the epidemic.
Risk is a construct related to odds and consequences. The US CDC works in a litigious environment.
I would demand a sterile needle for a tattoo, too. But because of the real risk of hepatitis C, not HIV.
[him] moderator
This is a useful discussion.
Google tattoo hiv multivariate for many articles from around the world.
The onus is not on me to disprove a myth. Myths cannot be disproven. That is what makes them myths. The onus is on you to show through scientific studies that transmission has taken place. Those who believe mosquitoes and medical injections transmit the virus have the same responsibility.
Your hypothesis about antiretroviral substances in the ink is interesting, but that too would need to be proved.
[him] moderator
My quick search on the issue. The question is can I get HIV from tatoos and body piercing? Look at the answer. You can love tatoos, you can have tatoos, you can run a tatoo gallery. But you have to be careful because there is a risk. It migt not be very important mode of transmission in public health aspect but it is a possible way of transmission at individual level. I will NEVER get tatoos if I know the artist is using the same needle for everyone and using the same dirty cloths to wrap blood. And I will ALWAYS tell to other people not to get tatoos from such place too.
A. A risk of HIV transmission does exist if instruments contaminated with blood are either not sterilized or disinfected or are used inappropriately between clients. CDC recommends that instruments that are intended to penetrate the skin be used once, then disposed of or thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.
Personal service workers who do tattooing or body piercing should be educated about how HIV is transmitted and take precautions to prevent transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections in their settings. If you are considering getting a tattoo or having your body pierced, ask staff at the establishment what procedures they use to prevent the spread of HIV and other blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C. You also may call the local health department to find out what sterilization procedures are in place in the local area for these types of establishments.
Can you please share with me, where I can read these excellent articles saying Tatooing is not risk for HIV transmission?
Where did they conduct the research? In America? In Africa? In Southeast Asia? Maybe the conclusions of the research were there is no evidence. But no evidence does not mean it is impossible. What kind of evidence we have in country like Myanmar? Which one of people with HIV in Myanmar can scientifically prove that he or she got the virus from where?
If it is true, there must be some very potent antiviral action in the ink they use for tatoo. That will be the only acceptable reason why people cannot get HIV when they get tatoo one after another using same needles, same dirty blood soaked cloth, having significant cut and bleeding on their skin.
Thanks for this comment. No need for me to travel to Myanmar. I am already here.
There have been excellent studies showing tattooing not to be a risk. And no case reports. So like any unproven theory, it is a myth.
If someone sends me studies or case reports then I will post them ...
[him] moderator
If you belive unsterile needles and surgical instrument can transmit HIV, you have to belive other sharp instrument that can cut the skin and cause bleeding can transmit HIV. Very simple..It is not a myth. Of course, viral loads, interval between use, amount of blood, extend of the wound etc etc etc will determine the chance of transmission. But the risk is there.Definately there.
Oh my God. That is not rocket science. Any sharp instrument which can cut the skin can transmit HIV and other viruses. It is already proved. No need to prove again. Same with Tatoo. Tatoo can transmit HIV. Definately. It all depends on how you use the instrument. Yes, it might be safe to have tatoo at tatoo galleries in Thailand. But come and see in Myanmar to know how they do tatoo. During pagoda festivals, you can see tatoo artists using same needles and same dirty clothes to wrape blood on everyone. In that situation, if previous persons had HIV, next persons have very high risk to get HIV. But how these cases will appear in the internet???? Who cares???? I think it is very dangerous you say they are myths just because you cannot find the evidences on line.
Thanks for posting, Anonymous. I feel for you and trust that you believe you got your infection from a razor. But I can't find a case report about you in the scientific literature. So transmission through razors remains unproven. And the only way a public health professional can treat unproven ideas, a quarter century and millions of deaths into the pandemic, is as myths.
Dear Moderator,
I will do my utmost best to find the information about the situation regarding the Ugandan soldiers. It was more than several years ago that I ran across the report. It was also discussed in a documentary that I have seen in the US. I doubt if a little bit of time of google search, as comprehensive most believe Google to be, will get you such an obscure report. I will try to find it for you.
As for the man in South Florida, I know him personally and I can assure you it is the only viable way that he could have contracted the disease. He used disposable razors shared with other men. They worked on underground utilities projects sometimes for up to two plus days on a single job site. Once you tear up a city street in Miami Florida, take out utilities, and turn off water you can't quit until the job is finished. Since he was a Senior Level Supervisor he also needed to have a reasonably fresh appearance during the day to conduct other business since he dealt with city officials and business people throughout the day. So, he shared razors that he kept in his glove compartment box, or with ones that another person kept handy, and he shared them with other men. Sometimes, they shared them immediately after one and another had used them without even rinsing them off. I can assure you, he is not bi-sexual, gay, a drug user, nor did he drink much, and he was madly in love with his wife and always faithful to her heavenly soul. She turned out to be negative so he did not get it from her. Imagine how hard it was for his wife to believe in him after they found out he had HIV. AIDS, actually. She left him eventually and he let her go in peace. Please don't be so certain that this report is a myth. The person I am talking about is me. And I never really knew much about HIV until I found out I was carrying it. But, unlike millions who are dying from this awful disease, for what it's worth, I know how I got it and I know reasonably when I got it. My infectious disease doctor has also know about the possibility of transmission via shared razors. Believe what you want, but it is not a myth to me.
Thank you for your comments. It is a myth. There have NEVER been any cases of scientifically documented HIV transmission through sharing razors.
There were, however, seven million people infected with HIV and seven million others who died of HIV related causes last year. They were infected through unprotected sex, nonsterile injecting equipment or blood, and from their mothers.
[him] moderator
It's unclear whether this is a myth. I've seen reports of Ugandan soldier who share disposable razor blades. They often dry-shave without lubricants. Also, I heard some respectable Infectious Disease doctors say that sharing razors is a high risk method of transmission. There was also speculation about a man in South Florida USA who was infected and the only risk activity seemed to have been intermittent use of a shared razor. He worked in construction contracting and frequently would work for extended periods of time. The men would refresh themselves by washing and shaving on the job with a water hose. He claimed that he ad no other high risk behavior. So, I would't discount this report at all.