The first mass examination for hepatitis C in the suburbs made experts talk about the epidemic

The Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region announced on July 28, when World Hepatitis Day is celebrated, the results of the first mass examination for hepatitis C in the suburbs. It turned out that the indicators of the study in which residents of six regions of the region participated are much higher than the numbers that Rospotrebnadzor voiced.

The first mass screening examination to determine the hepatitis C virus was held in the Moscow Region in July 2015, Kommersant-Online reports. Among 1.54 thousand volunteers, 2.4% of infected (37 people) were found using oral express tests.

At the same time, according to Rospotrebnadzor for 2014, hepatitis A, B and C carriers in the suburbs were 13.8 people for every 100 thousand population. The all -Russian indicator was significantly higher: hepatitis of all three types last year was recorded by Rospotrebnadzor in 39 people per 100 thousand people. In addition, on the eve, the press service of Rospotrebnadzor said that the incidence of hepatitis in Russia over the past decade has decreased eight times.

The contradiction between the data of the department and the results of the Moscow Region examination is obvious - test indicators noticeably exceed the level recorded by Rospotrebnadzor in 2014. According to the newspaper, the level of 2.4% is almost four times lower than that which is recorded in Egypt (10%), and only 1.4% higher than American statistics (1%). Nevertheless, on the sidelines held on the eve of the presentation of the results of the examination at the Moscow Regional Research Clinical Institute named after M.F. Vladimir (Monica) Hopatologists carefully used the word "epidemic".

Experts say that in Russia hepatitis carriers are from 3 million to 5 million people, most of which are working age. The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation focuses precisely on these indicators, since no special studies were previously conducted - the experiment in the suburbs was the first. “We are trying to answer the question of how large the problem is,” Pavel Bogomolov, chief hepatologist of the Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region, said at a press conference in Monica.

In addition to the study in the Moscow region, the state register of patients with chronic viral hepatitis has now been introduced for the first time, which should also help with the assessment of the scale of the problem. But Bogomolov is in advance of the distortion of primary information. "The register data is not true," the specialist said. So, in the register there are 11.4 thousand carriers of the virus, and about the same number of men and women. The examination showed that 71% of carriers are men. At the same time, 68% of the examined volunteers learned about their diagnosis before the test, and 13.5% did not know anything about hepatitis at all.

According to the publication, all the infected residents of the Moscow Region found during the study can apply for examination and treatment under the mandatory medical insurance program. For the first time, the program of the fight against hepatitis was introduced in 2014 in the Moscow region, its positive influence was already noted at the level of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the relevant State Duma Committee. Similar programs were introduced in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Tatarstan, Amur, Samara, Bryansk and Kostroma regions.

The state has no money for hepatitis treatment

The day before, experts said that the situation with viral hepatitis in Russia is alarming: the population is not sufficiently informed about the disease, treatment is not always available. The cost of one course of treatment for hepatitis C in 2014 ranged from five to 27 thousand US dollars (from about 300 thousand to 1.6 million rubles). Treatment for state money is provided only for certain categories of citizens (disabled people, people living with HIV).

At the same time, according to experts, even here there are problems. In Russia, the identification of people infected with hepatitis is well organized, but due to bureaucratic delays, even the person who has been detected by hepatitis may not recognize this. In addition, at the state level, there is simply no budget for the treatment of viral hepatitis. “Caring for patients is transferred to the level of regions,” Kovalenko points out.

Hepatitis: Methods of transmission and myths

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease that affects the liver. The disease has no specific symptoms, which is why the virus was nicknamed the "affectionate killer." Early diagnosis of hepatitis allows you to prevent complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

In almost 20% of patients after 20-30 years after infection, cirrhosis of the liver is observed, up to 5% of patients annually collide with liver cancer. “The conduct of antiviral treatment is the only way to deal with the disease,” says Bogomolov. “If there is no objective information on the number of virus carriers and the course of the disease, then by 2020-2025 in Russia the peak of liver diseases can occur with a high degree of probability.”

It is customary to think that drug addicts and prostitutes are sick more often than others. About 11 million people who use injection drugs are infected with hepatitis B or C. “The main risk group - people who use drugs injected - remains outside the field of vision of preventive actions,” said the coordinator of the Andrei Shkolov Foundation (in 2013, the report “Hepatitis C in Russia: Epidemia of Inaction” Maxim Malyshev, “70% of those with whom we are conducting Preventive work is infected with hepatitis C, but they are not available to them. "

The hepatitis B or C virus is also transmitted through transfusion of infected blood and its products; poorly processed medical instruments; unsafe injections; non -sterile reusable tool for manicure, tattooing, piercing, etc.; With the joint use of hygiene items, including razors, toothbrushes, toothpicks, etc. “The desocialization of this disease is the most common myth,” objects to the head of the hospital therapy of the Russian National Research University named after N.I. Pirogov Igor Nikitin. - the possibility of infection can expect us everywhere: tattoos, hairdressing, manicure, manicure, and manicure. Mostly, as my experience of a practitioner shows, these are private dental institutions. ”

In addition, hepatitis B viruses are not transmitted through the dining rooms, through hugs, kisses, handshakes, coughing, sneezing, insect bites or pets, as well as through the recreational use of public basins or similar objects.

Children born of mothers with hepatitis B or C, and sexual partners of sick people are also at risk of infection. But hepatitis is not always transmitted from a woman to her child. The main path of transmission of infection is directly related to the birth process. The risk of hepatitis C infection from mother to child is about 3.5%. The risk of transmitting hepatitis B from women with a large amount of blood virus is 80-90%. However, vaccination carried out during the first 24 hours of life reduces this indicator.

In WHO, it is recommended to vaccinate adults undergoing increased risk of hepatitis B infection B. The World Health Organization also encourages the treatment of people with cirrhosis, the latest stage of liver disease.