Proper hand washing contributes to the prevention of various diseases, mainly respiratory and diarrheal, helping to save millions of lives every year.
What looks like a lesson we learned in the early school years is, in reality, an alert from the World Health Organization (WHO) that reserved a day of awareness on the subject.
This Friday (5), the world hand hygiene day involves health professionals, governments and civil society organizations around actions to enhance handwashing as a public health strategy.
“We touch our eyes, noses and mouths with our hands more often than we think. With the Covid 19 pandemic, we saw that the habit of washing your hands can be the big difference when it comes to spreading a disease. In winter, it is common for people to sneeze, protecting with their hand. And then rest it on a surface that will be shared with another person, spreading the virus, for example”, explains Flávia Cohen, infectologist and specialist in integrative health at the FVC clinic (Rio de Janeiro).
Prevention of 10 diseases
Regular hand washing contributes to the prevention of at least ten different diseases:
1. Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the transparent layer that covers the white part of the eye. Signs include red and swollen eyes, burning, with or without discharge. The disease can be transmitted easily from one person to another or through contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. To prevent, it is essential to sanitize your hands and eyes frequently.
“Conjunctivitis can be of several types, but infectious ones are frequent and can be prevented by washing your hands”, says Flávia.
2. chickenpox
Chickenpox, also known as chickenpox, causes visible inflammation of the skin, headache, pneumonia and ear infection. It is caused by a virus that spreads very quickly and can be serious if it migrates to the internal organs.
“It is more common in children than in adults and its course is generally mild. However, when adults get it, they can experience more serious conditions. The transmission of the virus is carried out by direct contact between people, either through the skin or respiratory secretions. The virus also contaminates hands and surfaces”, says the expert.
3. Giardiasis
Giardiasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by parasites of the genus Giardia.
“Ingestion of water contaminated with parasite cysts or direct contact with a person who carries them in their hands causes infection. Therefore, hand hygiene and environmental sanitation are key factors in limiting transmission,” says Flávia.
4. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection that affects the lungs, which can be caused by the invasion of an infectious agent such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, in addition to allergic reactions.
“Respiratory infections, including pneumonia, are a leading cause of death in children under five. Fortunately, there is evidence in favor of washing hands with soap and water as an effective method of preventing them.
5. Flu
The coldest seasons of the year, autumn and winter, favor the circulation of the seasonal flu virus.
In addition to vaccination, available through the Unified Health System (SUS) for priority groups (see here), hand washing contributes to reducing the incidence of the disease.
6. Rotavirus
Despite vaccine availability, rotaviruses are still responsible for most severe cases of diarrhea in children under five in low- and middle-income countries, causing more than 200,000 deaths per year.
“Rotavirus is transmitted through fecal matter, through hand-to-mouth contact and even through contact with contaminated surfaces or also through the air, if it contains droplets of infected saliva, eliminated by coughing or sneezing. But with proper hand washing, especially after going to the bathroom, these chances are substantially reduced”, details Flávia.
7. Coronavirus
One of the forms of transmission of respiratory viruses, such as the coronavirus, is through the contact of contaminated hands with eyes, mouth and nose. Doctor Diego Ramos, pulmonologist at Personalized Internal Medicine (MIP), says that, in addition to hand hygiene, you should avoid touching your face while you are on the street.
“It is important to cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or your forearm when coughing or sneezing, to prevent the spread of viral particles through the environment, reducing the chances of contaminating other people,” he says.
8. Mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis, popularly known as the kissing disease, is an infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and the main vehicle of transmission is saliva. The disease mainly affects young people and adults aged between 15 and 25 years and is considered common worldwide.
Studies show that up to 90% of the population has already been infected by EBV at some stage of life. The symptoms of this disease last an average of 30 to 45 days and cause sore throat, fatigue, malaise, fever and swollen lymph nodes. In more serious cases, it is possible to develop pain in the joints and belly, in addition to spots on the body.
“The disease is not transmitted only through kissing. It is true that saliva is the main culprit. However, objects that an infected person sneezes, coughs or touches can also be means of infection”, explains the specialist.
9. Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is an infection caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), also known as “infectious hepatitis”. In most cases, hepatitis A is a benign disease, however the symptomatic course and lethality increase with age.
Hepatitis A contamination occurs through the fecal-oral route, that is, through contact between individuals or through contaminated water or food. The disease usually spreads in regions with precarious conditions or that do not have water and sewage treatment.
The main forms of prevention are the improvement of the basic sanitation network and the adoption of hygiene habits, such as regular washing of hands and of food consumed raw, in addition to the proper cleaning of plates, glasses and cutlery.
10. Diarrhea
Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five, killing around 525,000 children every year, according to the WHO.
Prevention includes access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and hand washing with soap.
Know when to wash your hands
With the Covid-19 pandemic, the habit of washing hands gained significant reinforcement. The measure became even more valued as a way to prevent contagion by the coronavirus.
However, with the improvement in the epidemiological indicators of the pandemic, such as the reduction in the number of cases and deaths from the disease, the feeling that the pandemic is over has led to a relaxation of preventive measures, including frequent hand hygiene.
In addition to washing hands when they are visibly soiled, there are key times for hand hygiene:
Source: CNN Brasil
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