Hepatites virais na prática odontológica: riscos e prevenção / Viral hepatites in dental practice: risks and prevention

RESUMO

Objetivo: Discuti r os aspectos epidemiologicos das hepatites virais em profissionais de Odontologia, com enfase nas formas de transmissao e prevencao. Metodo: Revisao narrativa da literatura sobre riscos e prevencao das hepatites na pratica odontologica. Resultados: As hepatites constituem um grupo de doencas inflamatorias do figado de diversas etiologias, sendo mais comuns aquelas causadas pelos virus hepatotropicos de A a E. As hepatites A e E apresentam forma clinica aguda e autolimitada. As hepatites B e C podem cronificar e evoluir para a cirrose. Os sinais e sintomas das hepatites sao semelhantes e a evolucao da forma cronica e silenciosa ou oligossintomatica, sendo a doenca descoberta por acaso, muitas vezes em estagios avancados. O diagnostico precoce favorece maiores chances de cura. Os trabalhadores da area da saude tem maior risco de adquirirem hepatites principalmente pelos virus B e C. Conclusao: Os cirurgioes-dentistas, em sua pratica diaria, estao expostos a maior risco de acidentes com instrumentos perfuro-cortantes constituindo assim, um grupo de alto risco de contaminacao. E possivel que outros agentes causadores de diferentes formas de hepatites ou outras doencas, sejam identificados no futuro. A adocao de normas de precaucao universal no controle de infeccao e, e continuara sendo, fundamental para o controle das doencas transmissiveis no ambiente odontologico.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To discuss the epidemiological aspects of viral hepatites in dental professionals, with emphasis of the forms of transmission and prevention. Method: Narrative review of the literature on risks and prevention of the hepatites types in dental practice. Results: Hepatites are a group of inflammatory liver diseases with several etiologies, among which the most common are those caused by the A-E hepatotropic viruses. Hepatites A and E have acute and self-limited clinical presentation. Hepatites B and C may become chronic and progress to cirrhoses. The signs and symptoms of hepatites are similar and their evolution to the chronic form is silent or oligosymptomatic, which makes the disease being diagnosed incidentally, frequently at an advance stage. The early diagnosis increases the chances of chances of cure. Health professionals are at higher risk of having hepatites, especially those causes by the B and C viruses. Conclusion: Dentists, in their daily practice, are more exposed to accidents with cutting and perforating instruments, being thus a group with high risk of contamination. It is possible that other agents causing different forms of hepatitis or other diseases are identified in the future. The adoption of the universal infection control measures is and will always be essential for controlling transmissible diseases in dental facilities.