Abstract

The dental clinic is an appropriate place to promote the prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and fast access for care of HCV positive subjects with new generation anti HCV drugs

Author(s): Simona Tecco

This project was aimed toward promoting a screening program for HCV during a dental clinic affiliated to the Italian National Health System (NHS), by using the Easy-HCV test. This study aimed to work out the socio-demographic profile of subjects screened for HCV virus during a dental clinic to accumulate useful information for future campaigns of prevention. An easy, free-ofcharge, screen salivary test was offered to patients mentioned the dental clinic of San Raffaele research project Hospital in Milan, Italy for dental procedures. These patients were also asked to finish an anonymous questionnaire on demographics and risk behaviours. the themes included within the sample came from a unit of dentistry belonging to a personal Hospital in Milan, North Italy, affiliated with the Italian NHS, that pays for the dentistry procedures reserved for people that belong to weak social groups (that pay only a ticket), or that are exempt from the ticket payment, due to a pathology, or a coffee income.Today, the planet Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that about 71 million people within the world are still suffering from chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 399000 subjects die per annum thanks to cirrhosis and cancer caused by HCV. For these reasons, the control of hepatitis is currently, ethically urgent and even economically convenient. the present strategies should include: (1) primary prevention (including vaccination and improved infection control), (2) improving diagnosis rate, and (3) management of existing cases of infections.