The Chikungunya Epidemic on La Réunion Island in 2005–2006: A Cost-of-Illness Study

Abstract

BackgroundThis study was conducted to assess the impact of chikungunya on health costs during the epidemic that occurred on La Réunion in 2005–2006.Methodology/Principal FindingsFrom data collected from health agencies, the additional costs incurred by chikungunya in terms of consultations, drug consumption and absence from work were determined by a comparison with the expected costs outside the epidemic period. The cost of hospitalization was estimated from data provided by the national hospitalization database for short-term care by considering all hospital stays in which the ICD-10 code A92.0 appeared. A cost-of-illness study was conducted from the perspective of the third-party payer. Direct medical costs per outpatient and inpatient case were evaluated. The costs were estimated in Euros at 2006 values. Additional reimbursements for consultations with general practitioners and drugs were estimated as €12.4 million (range: €7.7 million–€17.1 million) and €5 million (€1.9 million–€8.1 million), respectively, while the cost of hospitalization for chikungunya was estimated to be €8.5 million (€5.8 million–€8.7 million). Productivity costs were estimated as €17.4 million (€6 million–€28.9 million). The medical cost of the chikungunya epidemic was estimated as €43.9 million, 60% due to direct medical costs and 40% to indirect costs (€26.5 million and €17.4 million, respectively). The direct medical cost was assessed as €90 for each outpatient and €2,000 for each inpatient.Conclusions/SignificanceThe medical management of chikungunya during the epidemic on La Réunion Island was associated with an important economic burden. The estimated cost of the reported disease can be used to evaluate the cost/efficacy and cost/benefit ratios for prevention and control programmes of emerging arboviruses.

Chronic Joint Disease Caused by Persistent Chikungunya Virus Infection Is Controlled by the Adaptive Immune Response

“…A high percentage of CHIKV-infected individuals suffer from chronic arthralgia (13,14,16,17,58,59), and chronic CHIKV disease can be debilitating with severe economic consequences (17,58,60,61). Accordingly, an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of chronic CHIKV disease and the development of effective therapies to prevent or treat viral persistence are critical.…”

Concurrent outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections – an unprecedented epidemic wave of mosquito-borne viruses in the Pacific 2012–2014

“…If not managed well, the epidemic wave may threaten societies broadly, affecting trade, tourism and work force beyond the direct morbidity and mortality toll [2]. During the chikungunya outbreak in Reunion Island, one third of the around 800,000 inhabitants were infected, peaking at more than 47,000 estimated cases in one week, with estimated productivity loss of €17.4 million (range €6 to €28.9 million) and medical costs of €43.9 million that were met by the French state [15][16][17]. Much of the burden on the Pacific Region of the concurrent epidemics of all three diseases covered here is unknown and further studies are warranted, especially on co-infection and the effect of sequential infection with different viruses.…”

Costos económicos de la infección respiratoria aguda en un Municipio de Colombia

“…Éstos cuantifican económicamente los recursos consumidos en la prevención, tratamiento y cuidado de la enfermedad 23,24 . Son importantes porque estiman la cantidad de dinero que se ahorraría en ausencia de enfermedad, la cual podría ser direccionada hacia otros sectores 23,25 . Además, ayudan a tomar decisiones en políticas de salud pública y son útiles porque permiten obtener los insumos necesarios para realizar futuras evaluaciones económicas completas de tecnologías sanitarias 23 .…”