On April 14th and 15th the screening days for hepatitis C will be repeated. We asked Elisabetta Pagani, head of the Microbiology and Virology Laboratory in Bolzano, about the free tests.
Elisabetta Pagani, head of the Microbiology and Virology Laboratory in Bolzano; Photo: SABES
Treat in time and stop the chain of infection – these are the main goals of the free screening against hepatitis C, according to the South Tyrolean Medical Service (SABES) in a press release. The campaign was launched to draw attention to an infection that – with the exception of the acute phase – is symptomless and can lead to liver cirrhosis or liver tumors.
“An opportunity” is how Elisabetta Pagani, head of the laboratory for microbiology and virology in Bolzano, defines it. The Screening Days last March were well received by the population; this action will be repeated on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th April in different blood collection centers in the country.
The team at the laboratory for microbiology and virology in Bolzano; Photo: SABES
What is the use of a prevention campaign like this?
“It is possible to diagnose positive cases that would otherwise have remained undetected. Most likely, these people did not know they had been exposed to the virus prior to screening – every case detected in time means a life saved. In addition, the health and psychophysical condition of the person improves significantly. After all, we are talking about hepatitis C, a disease that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver with the need for a liver transplant. A disease that has an enormous impact on quality of life, but also on healthcare costs.
If we think about the chain of infection, it can be said that stopping the spread of the infection not only saves the person who was unaware, but also everyone else who would potentially be at risk of contracting it. It’s a simple calculation: the first step in solving a problem is to be aware of it. In this sense, prevention is an indispensable measure.”
Do you think it will be possible to eradicate a disease like hepatitis C worldwide in the next 10 years?
“Hard to say. If we look at the current campaign, then one has to consider how many positive cases can be treated. From the experiences in other regions we see that there is a certain number of people who know that they are HCV positive and do not want a specialist visit and do not want treatment even though it would be crucial. As a medical company, we can only point out these initiatives as best we can and invite the population to take part.
What would you say to a person born between 1969 and 1989 who has not been tested before?
“Numerous studies show that prevention helps to avoid diseases and increases well-being and quality of life. If someone still doesn’t want to participate, I would try to understand why the person didn’t participate in the test series. The test is a potential “lifesaver” and costs nothing. Being able to attend a screening like this for hepatitis C is a unique and rare opportunity, so… Why not?”
Primarin Pagani, on average, how many HCV tests does your lab run each day?
“If you add the pre-analytical phase, which involves sorting out samples and centrifuging, but also considering that the necessary equipment is also required for other diagnostic services and the staff must not only do this work, you can say that we evaluate around 500 samples every day.”
In your opinion, what are the most difficult phases of a screening campaign like that for HCV?
“From the point of view of the internal organization of the medical company, it is imperative that we all speak the same ‘language’ because different professional figures are involved in this process. This means, for example, that you have to know all the steps that are necessary for this campaign. Your own work influences that of others and vice versa. The various contributions must be well coordinated. There is also another aspect that we have to deal with in the laboratory: that of unpredictability. It often happens that many samples arrive at the same time on the screening days. Normally that would mean a long time delay, but the population expects – rightly so – an evaluation in the shortest possible time.”
Information about the Screening Days from 14.-15. April
It is still possible for anyone born between 1969 and 1989 to attend the Screening Days on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th April. All you have to do is dial the standard telephone number 100 100, preceded by your own area code, or make a note of it via the SaniBook portal.
With one click SaniBook After entering the tax number and the number of the health card, all available appointments can be viewed. To find the blood collection site location and preferred time, scroll down to filter and find the desired site. As soon as this has been found, a confirmation with a mouse click is sufficient. During the screening days it is not possible to combine the test with other blood tests.
Visit the website for more information on free hepatitis C screening www.sabes.it/hcv