What are the four items of disease screening

At present, the four most common disease screening items in China are divided into two common scenarios. The four items for preoperative/pre-transfusion infectious disease screening are hepatitis B virus surface antigen, hepatitis C virus antibody, human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS) antibody, and Treponema pallidum antibody. The four items for pre-pregnancy eugenic screening are rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma, and herpes simplex virus, which are often referred to as the TORCH items in obstetrics and gynecology. In addition, different institutions will adjust specific items according to the purpose of screening, and there is no absolutely unified standard answer.

Many people are confused before the screening. In fact, most of them don’t know what kind of screening they are doing. A while ago, a young man had a minor surgery for underarm odor. When he got the screening form, he saw that it was all about infectious diseases. He came over and asked if he was prescribed the wrong test. He said that he thought he wanted to check liver and kidney function, blood routine, etc., but in fact, he mixed up the screening in different scenarios.

These four types of infectious diseases can all be transmitted through blood and body fluids. On the one hand, preoperative examination can clarify the infection status of the patient before surgery, so as to avoid unclear responsibilities in case of subsequent intraoperative blood transfusion infection. On the other hand, it also reminds the surgical doctors and nurses that if the patient is infected, extra protection will be taken during the operation to avoid occupational exposure caused by sharp injuries, which is a double protection for doctors and patients.

After talking about the pre-surgery, let’s talk about the four eugenics items that people who are preparing for pregnancy ask most about. These four pathogens have one thing in common, that is, most adults only have mild cold-like symptoms after infection, or even feel nothing. However, if the infection occurs during pregnancy, it can easily cross the placenta and cause harm to the fetus. In mild cases, it can lead to developmental malformations, and in severe cases, direct miscarriage and premature birth. Therefore, many places will list it as a routine pre-pregnancy screening item. However, I would like to mention here that the industry currently has different views on the necessity of pre-pregnancy TORCH screening. Some experts believe that ordinary healthy people do not need routine screening if they have no history of exposure. Only high-risk groups who have pets at home or have had a history of unexplained miscarriage need to be screened. You can choose according to your own situation and follow the doctor's advice.

Of course, these two standards are not the only ones. For example, when some communities provide free screening for the elderly, they will list high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood lipids, and high uric acid as four screening items. In some places, the entry and school screenings will have customized items. This kind of adjustment is based on needs, and there is no mandatory unified requirement.