The advance on heath treatments in the world comparing to health treatments offered in Brazil; the databases of HCV sexual transmission as HIV/HCV co-infection were some of the topics discussed at  the “I Brazilian Southeastern Workshop on Co-infection,  Diagnosis and Treatment: HIV/HCV”.

The event held on July 21th and 22nd, in Rio de Janeiro,  was promoted by Grupo Otimismo de Apoio ao Portador de Hepatite (Optimism- Hepatitis Carrier Support Group) and by GADA – AIDS patients Supporting Group, has brought together a team of researchers, infectious disease specialists, hepatologists, social movements against AIDS and viral hepatitis representatives and coordinators.

The workshop had 14 lectures and started with the topic: “Where is the HCV?”, lectured by Carlos Varaldo in order to put in check hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV/HCV coinfection databases. During his presentation, the Grupo Otimismo’s representative affirmed that “Brazil has conditions to be the first country in the world in order to eliminate HIV/HCV coinfection”.
 
The presentand future coinfection strategies challenges, was Debora Crespo’s – from the state of Para STI (Sexual Transmissive Infections) /AIDS department - report.
 
After that, Elisa Cattapan, the Viral Hepatitis sector at the STI/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Ministry of Heath department (DIAHV) representative, presented the new Clinical Protocol and Therapeutic Guidelines on Hepatitis C and Co-infections (PCDT) . In the end of the day, she also made a general balance on the main achievements of DIAHV.
 
HCV sexual transmission
 
During the class about co-infection and comorbidities, Dr. Evaldo Stanislau Affonso de Araújo, from the Clinical Research Center HAC, in Santos, São Paulo State, gave details about several risk behaviors associated to HIV/HCV coinfected individuals. The doctor raised discussion on the two most controversial subjects associated to HIV/HCV co-infected persons since he admitted major risks of HCV infection among men who have sex with men (HSH) and later, by the end of his presentation he confessed that part of the SUS’ (Brazilian United Health System) newly introduced medicines are already outdated.
 
Simone Tenore, from the UNIFESP (São Paulo Federal University) Centre for Reference and Training on STD/AIDS, has brought the results of her experience with a MultidisciplinaryTeam on HIV/HCV co-infected people healthcare, a less controversial subject comparing to the the other presentations.
 
Rosângela Teixeira, from the Minas Gerais Federal University  viral Hepatitis Ambulatory, spoke about “what might change or not whilehealing HCV in coinfected individuals”. The doctor affirms that there is not any reason to patients continue infected by HCV virus.
 
The UNIFESP affiliated professor in infectology, Paulo Abraão Ferreira, also member of CRT-A, reported the “Prevention and Eliminating Hepatitis C Strategiesover co-infected individuals”. During his speech, he proposed screening tests campaign for every forty years old person or older and all greater risk of infection group; besides treatment for every HCV-positive detected individual.
 
Whatis the best strategy on the treatment of co-infected individuals? To answer this question, Dr. Marcelo Simão Ferreira, from Uberlândia (MG) Federal University presented an extremely detailed class, showing several treatment strategies including options for more vulnerable populations.
 
Extending diagnosis
 
The the technical sector of the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Healthcare Department manager, Luciane Oscar, has talked about “Rio de Janeiro experience on expandingdiagnosis for HIV and viral hepatitis strategies”.
 
The all the state efforts on ending hepatitis report was presented by Dr. Clarice Gdalecivi, member of the State Coordination on Viral Hepatitis Strategy, with the topic: “The state of Rio de Janeiro Viral Hepatitis Overwiew”.
 
Taking about “Effectiveness on Newly Treatments and their real results in Brazil”, the Rio de Janeiro’s Santa Casa Hepatology Centre principal, Dr. Claudio de Figueiredo Mendes, has shown the real results of the Brazilian Hepatology Society study on therapies without interferon.
 
In order to finish the exhaustive day activities, after the DIAHV on Viral Hepatitis presentation, Dr. Jorge Eduardo Pio, from the Technical Agency on the Prevalence of Lung Diseases from the city of Rio de Janeiro Healthcare Secretariat, talked about “HIV, HCV and tuberculosis”, what the triple co-infection burden represents.
 
After that, Dr. Jadir Fagundes Nero, from the state of Rio de Janeiro Management Department on STD/AIDS and Hepatitis, has presented the results of the Rio de Janeiro StateProgramme.
 
Social Movement
 
Elton Almeida, Elisa Cattapan and Barbara Graner
Coordinated by Veriano Terto, the Brazilian Interdisciplinary AIDS Association (ABIA), the members of HIV and HCV NGOs have shown their activities carried out transversally.
 
Giving sequence, citizens members of the Social Movement Joint Committee (CAMS) and the National Committee on STD/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, both DIAHV advisors, talked about CAMS social movements articulation and the CNAIDS importance on healthcare policy development.
 
A roundtable was held with the representatives of DIAHV hepatitis team Elisa Cattapan, Barbara Graner and Elton Carlos de Almeida participation and converged to the interactive actions  among AIDS and viral hepatitis movements.