A local nonprofit organization is seeking donations to prevent the spread of hepatitis and HIV among homeless people who are staying at a temporary shelter in Kaka'ako.

Organization officials said people are sharing personal-hygiene products, and they know of at least one case in which hepatitis may have been transmitted to an individual sharing a razor. They hope donations will help buy 1,000 kits containing razors, shaving cream, toothbrushes, toothpaste, nail clippers, nail files, soap and other hygiene products.

"We didn't realize that there was this kind of a problem until we talked to people who were homeless in the shelter. We're trying to give (the safety kit) to those we know are affected by hepatitis B, C or HIV," said Ken Akinaka, executive director of the Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment and Support Network of Hawai'i. "If there's a possibility of spreading diseases, at least we contain it to not being spread that way."

The donation effort is being spearheaded by OPIVITA, an acronym for OutPatient Intravenous Infusion Therapy Association, a "nonprofit that advocates on issues of infectious diseases for education and research," said Akinaka, the organization's chief operating officer.

More than 300 homeless people use the temporary shelter called the Next Step project.

Utu Langi, project director for the shelter, said its now housing more than 100 people more than its 200-person capacity. He welcomed the donation effort.

"I think it's wonderful," Langi said. "And a lot of these folks don't have health insurance, so it's a big help for them."

Satosy Santa from Chuuk, in Micronesia, came to Hawai'i for medical treatment and has been staying in the Next Step shelter since last week. He is here with his wife and son. He doesn't share his razors or toothbrushes with others, he said, but he was concerned others may contract the virus. "So many people, I saw them sharing those things," he said.

Mel Ching has been staying at the shelter for a month with her husband, Gil. She has received hygiene bags from other volunteer organizations, but they did not include nail clippers, files and bandages.

"We need Band-Aids and little packets of antibiotics," she said. "There's a lot of sores around here, I noticed. Kids fall, and they get scraped."

Ching said she doesn't share her razors, but she has been asked.

OPIVITA has so far collected more than $300 toward its goal. It plans to distribute the safety kits on July 28 during a health education event at the homeless shelter.

Akinaka said the case that initially raised alarm occurred last month. While Akinaka was counseling one man with hepatitis not to share razors, another man at the shelter, who also was infected, acknowledged that he had been sharing his razor.

Reach Robert Shikina at rshikina@honoluluadvertiser.com.