The action was planned by the Viral Hepatitis Study Group of the infectious disease discipline at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) at Unicamp. Rapid tests to detect the Hepatitis C virus were carried out by teams installed on the access ramp to the Hospital de Clínicas (HC) at Unicamp. The initiative promoted this Thursday, 26th, was scheduled within the month of viral hepatitis awareness. This is a joint action between the hepatology area of the gastroenterology discipline at FCM, the Faculty of Nursing and the STD/Aids Department of the Health Department of the Municipality of Campinas, in light of World Day to Fight Viral Hepatitis , which takes place next Saturday, 29.
Priority was given to people considered at greater risk for the disease: over 40 years of age, diabetics, those who received a blood transfusion or underwent surgery before 1993; and people who have had piercings or tattoos in places that are not safe regarding the sterilization of the material. Those who have the habit of sharing toothbrushes, razors, cuticle pliers, etc. are also considered at risk.
Retired cook Vandinalvo Pereira dos Santos, resident of Campinas, didn't miss the opportunity and went to check whether he had the virus or not. “Anyone can have the disease, but not knowing is worse. We have to know what is happening to us, about health we always have to be up to date”, he stressed.
He is right. With early diagnosis it is possible to avoid the consequences that occur when the disease develops. “Hepatitis C is silent. Symptoms only appear when the disease is already advanced, when it progresses to cirrhosis or liver disease. Today, Hepatitis C is the main reason for recommending liver transplants along with cancer”, warned infectious disease doctor Raquel Silveira Bello Stucchi, one of the organizers of the action.
According to the doctor and professor at Unicamp, the intention is to encourage early diagnosis. "Treatment is currently offered by the Unified Health System (SUS), for everyone who has the virus, regardless of whether they are in a more or less serious situation." Raquel Stucchi adds that the person will take pills, that the treatment time varies between three and six months and there is a 90% chance of cure.
Regarding Hepatitis C studies, there are several studies in the area of epidemiological research in Brazil, reports the professor. A particular situation in the country is men who in the past used an injectable stimulant called glocoenergan. “Almost 30 percent of the patients we treated used the substance that was not considered a drug, but rather a stimulant like today’s energy drinks.” There are also those who contracted the virus by sharing syringes or using inhaled drugs such as cocaine.
Hepatitis B
The second cause of liver cirrhosis caused by viruses, Hepatitis B can be prevented by taking a vaccine, which is available on the health network for everyone. “The vaccine is already on children's calendars, but all adults are also entitled to it, in fact it is a vaccine that was developed against cancer because the disease also causes liver cancer”, explains the infectious disease specialist. The main form of transmission is sexual, so, in addition to the vaccine, it is important to have safe sex with condoms and with as few partners as possible.
Hepatitis A is more frequently caused by food, in addition to transmission through sexual contact. In 2016 and 2017, the doctor said, there was an outbreak in men who had sex with other men. “In adults, Hepatitis A is very symptomatic and increases the risk of severe fulminant hepatitis with risk of transplantation,” she noted. The vaccine is also part of the calendar for children and adults can be immunized in the private network.
The term hepatitis means an inflammation of the liver. The virus can also affect the kidneys and cause kidney failure, or even the pancreas, resulting in diabetes and fatty liver disease. For this reason, the study group is partnering with the endocrinology outpatient clinic, in the area of diabetes, to carry out rapid tests on diabetic patients treated at Unicamp.
Green July
In addition to actions related to viral hepatitis, the month of July was also dressed in green this Thursday morning, at Unicamp's HC, to draw the population's attention to head and neck cancer, whose World Disease Prevention Day is celebrated on the 27th. Estimates from the National Cancer Institute (INCA) for 2018 indicate 42.770 new cases of head and neck cancer, in Brazil alone, with oral cavity cancer being the 3rd most common among men.
Responsible for the Julho Verde actions that took place simultaneously at the HC and the center of Campinas, the otorhinolaryngologist from the HC's Head and Neck Service, Flávio Mignone Gripp, explained that the initiative aimed to guide people about the causes of the disease and offer tips of prevention.
“Head and neck tumors are cancers located in regions such as the mouth, tongue, soft and hard palate, gums, cheeks, tonsils, pharynx, larynx, cervical esophagus, thyroid gland and paranasal sinuses”, he explained.
Eating healthy, not smoking or using hookah or incense, reducing or not consuming alcohol and not having oral sex without a condom are measures that can be adopted to prevent head and neck cancer, according to the doctor at Unicamp.
“Visiting the dentist periodically, taking care of daily oral hygiene, not biting lips or cheeks and keeping dental prostheses always well adjusted are also important measures to prevent the disease”, added the otorhinolaryngologist.
And what to do if you notice that something is not going well? The guidance from the Brazilian Society of Head and Neck Surgery is very clear: “A lump in the neck, a wound or mouth ulcer and persistent hoarseness are worrying symptoms. If they do not disappear within 21 days, see a head and neck surgeon.”
About us
#JulhoVerde at Unicamp's HC was organized by the Otorhinolaryngology Outpatient Clinic, the Psychoactive Substances Outpatient Clinic (ASPA) and the FONO Head and Neck Choir. In addition to doctor Flávio M. Gripp, the action had the support and participation of speech therapist Vanelli Colombo, nurses Letícia Moura and Ermílio B. Júnior, resident Bruna Schimit and technical-administrative employees Luiz de Lima Cota and Nereide Marcatto.
