Prof. Sherif Fakhry Mohamad Abdel Nabi, president of the Egyptian Russian University (ERU), announced that the university administration reached a contract agreement with the largest medical laboratories in Egypt to conduct medical checks for hepatitis B and C viruses for ERU Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine students. He pointed out that this procedure is conducted for 4^th year students who are starting dealing with patients for the first time. This procedure is a part of the precautionary measures complying with infection control standards of medical team members working in the  dental clinics  on campus, which receive public patients for providing free examination as well as treatment. Such checks were supported by   Dr. Mohamed Kamal Mustafa, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees.

 Prof. Khaled Tawfiq, Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine Dean, added that this examination is not limited to students only, but is also conducted for all: “nursing staff, workers, technicians, and for faculty members, upon their request, in clinics. Such procedure is conducted to protect the medical team and patients from transmitted infections, pointing out that it is conducted for fourth-year students who are qualified to deal with patients. He also pointed out that such procedure has been conducted periodically since the establishment of the faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine.

ERU Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine dean confirmed that these procedures reflect the keenness of the faculty administration to spread health awareness among members of the medical and health field about the great risks of viral hepatitis, its transmission methods, how to be prevented from it, and the importance of taking the prescribed preventive vaccinations. The dean also noted that the periodic examination is on “B and C” viruses, in addition to antibodies, and the extent to which the body needs stimulating doses of hepatitis B virus vaccine. He thanked the team of “Arab International Labs”, headed by Dr. Mahmoud Al-Ansari, for fruitful cooperation with the faculty administration.

For her part, Prof. Amani Amer, Director of Clinics and Infection Control at the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, who supervises the campaign, stated that the profession of oral and dental medicine requires the medical team direct contact with tissues and oral fluids, blood and saliva. These tissues and fluids carry many germs and viruses that cause diseases, such as hepatitis B and C. In order to determine the infection with viral hepatitis, a blood test is performed in two stages as follows:

– The blood is tested for hepatitis B antibodies “HBs Ab” as it is highly important to ensure that there is immune response in oral and dental students and health care providers, and to identify how this response is documented. In case of a negative result, it is necessary to give them Hepatitis B vaccination.

– In case of a positive anti-catalyst “HBs Ag”, a blood test “HBV PCR” is performed to determine the extent of the virus activity in the body.

– In case of a positive result in the examination of hepatitis C antibodies type “HCV Ab”, a molecular blood test “HCV PCR” is performed, which determines the extent of the virus’s activity in the body.

The Director of Clinics and Infection Control at the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine indicated that this examination is provided by the university administration annually, free of charge and obligatory for all students inside the clinics before reaching the stage in which they deal with patients. The medical checks are also carried out for all members of the nursing staff, workers and technicians annually. The faculty adopts an ambitious program derived from the university mission in Community service, to prevent the spread of infection and to provide health care for both; the patients and the medical team.