Epidemiology, Management, Quality of Testing and Cost of Syphilis in Germany: A Retrospective Model Analysis.

Background: A multi-dimensional model can be a useful tool for estimating the general impact of disease on the different sectors of the healthcare system. We chose the sexually transmitted disease syphilis for our model due to the good quality of reported data in Germany. Methods: The model included gender- and age-stratified incident cases of syphilis (in- and outpatients) provided by a German statutory health insurance company, as well as seroprevalence data on syphilis in first-time blood donors. Age standardized rates were calculated based on the standard German population. The test quality was assessed by extrapolating the number of false-positive and false-negative results based on data from Europe-wide external quality assessment (EQA) schemes. The model analysis was validated with the reported cases and diagnosis-related group (DRG)-statistics from 2010 to 2012. The annual direct and indirect economic burden was estimated based on the outcomes of our model. Results: The standardized results were slightly higher than the results reported between 2010 and 2012. This could be due to an underassessment of cases in Germany or due to limitations of the dataset. The number of estimated inpatients was predicted with an accuracy of 89.8 %. Results from EQA schemes indicated an average sensitivity of 92.8 % and an average specificity of 99.9 % for the recommended sequential testing for syphilis. Based on our model, we estimated a total average minimal annual burden of €20,292,110 for syphilis on the German healthcare system between 2010 and 2012. Conclusions: The linking of claims data, results from EQA schemes, and blood donor surveillance can be a useful tool for assessing the burden of disease on the healthcare system. It can help raise awareness in populations potentially at risk for infectious diseases, demonstrate the need to educate potential risk groups, and may help with predictive cost calculations and planning.

Reviewing estimates of the burden in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of tick-borne encephalitis in Slovenia.

INTRODUCTION: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) reflects an increasing burden and can affect public health policy. Vaccination could be the most effective option to reduce the disease burden, this review can support national recommendations for TBE vaccination in Slovenia. AREAS COVERED: This burden is relatively high in Slovenia and can be estimated by using an incidence-based disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) methodology. Notably, DALYs have been estimated for Slovenia in various studies. The present study summarizes the main differences and conclusions between two studies that dealt with the calculation of DALYs for TBE in Slovenia. The databases of PubMed and Embase were used to get information about publications that dealt with the TBE burden, using an incidence-based DALYs methodology, in Slovenia. EXPERT OPINION: Permanent sequelae contribute the most to the total burden in DALYs. Increasing vaccination in all ages and age groups can be the most effective and efficient strategy to reduce the burden of TBE and protect the whole population health.

Vaccines for tick-borne diseases and cost-effectiveness of vaccination: a public health challenge to reduce the diseases' burden.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme borreliosis (LB) are tick-borne diseases (TBDs), and both present an increasing burden worldwide. Vaccination as public health intervention could be the most effective way to reduce this burden. TBE vaccines are available, but vaccines against LB are still in the phase of development. At the European level, TBE vaccines are likely under-administered to effectively prevent the disease. Cost-effectiveness of vaccination is a helpful tool in the decision making process to include novel vaccines in the national vaccination program or to extend current programs, and its role is only increasing. Cost-effectiveness studies on TBE vaccines have been performed in Slovenia, Sweden, Finland and Estonia so far. Cost-effectiveness studies with the novel vaccines against LB are expected to be performed in the near future.

The Burden of Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) for Slovenia.

BACKGROUND: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) presents an increasing burden in many parts of Europe, Asian Russia, Siberia, Asian former USSR and Far East. Incidence can be considered as one way to express the burden. A more comprehensive measure concerns disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), better characterizing the full burden of TBE. TBE burden in DALYs has not yet been estimated, nor has it been specified by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) studies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study is to estimate the burden of TBE in Slovenia, expressed in DALYs, both from the population and individual perspectives. We discuss the impact of TBE burden on public health and potential strategies to reduce this burden in Slovenia. METHODS: The burden of TBE is estimated by using the updated DALYs' methodology first introduced in the GBD project. The DALYsá¾½ calculations are based on the health outcomes of the natural course of the disease being modelled. Corrections for under-reporting and under-ascertainment are applied. The impact of uncertainty in parameters in the model was assessed using sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: From the population perspective, total DALYs amount to 3,450 (167.8 per 100,000 population), while from the individual perspective they amount to 3.1 per case in 2011. Notably, the consequences of TBE present a larger burden than TBE itself. CONCLUSIONS: TBE presents a relatively high burden expressed in DALYs compared with estimates for other infectious diseases from the GBD 2010 study for Slovenia. Raising awareness and increasing vaccination coverage are needed to reduce TBE and its consequences.

Lyme borreliosis: reviewing potential vaccines, clinical aspects and health economics.

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a multisystem infectious disease with a growing burden in many parts of North America, Asia and Europe. Persistent infection of LB can usually be treated effectively with antibiotic therapy, but it may be followed by post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. Therefore, it is important to begin with treatment in the early phase of the disease. Vaccination shows potential as the most effective way of preventing LB and reducing its burden in these continents. It is concluded that there is a need for continuous effort in research from all perspectives on LB, especially regarding prevention with novel vaccines, their development, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness. This review may help to further develop (cost-) effective strategies for prevention and control of the disease to reduce its burden and achieve population-wide health benefits.

Review of tick-borne encephalitis and vaccines: clinical and economical aspects.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) disease is an increasing burden not only locally but also globally. In most endemic countries, vaccination coverage is too low to reduce the TBE burden significantly; however, vaccination is the most effective protection against TBE, with various vaccines currently available. In spite of rising awareness of TBE, little attention is directed toward the health economics of the disease. The purpose of the present review is to compile information on TBE and its explicit clinical and economical aspects. Given the scarcity of studies, the authors conclude that more attention is needed for health economics of TBE. Notably, this would help establish guidance on efficient policies for TBE prevention, reduce disease burden and achieve population health benefits.

Cost-effectiveness of tick-borne encephalitis vaccination in Slovenian adults.

BACKGROUND: Slovenia is an endemic country with a high incidence rate of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and low vaccination coverage. TBE causes high costs for the health care insurances as well as the society due to hospitalization and frequent long term or permanent neurological sequelae. Vaccination is effective and a safe prophylaxis against TBE. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between vaccination and no vaccination in Slovenia. The results are shown as cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained from the view of the health care payer and the society. METHODS: Based on the natural course of the disease, the Markov model was used for comparing the economic and health outcomes of vaccinated and unvaccinated groups from 18 to 80 years of age. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio from the current Slovenian vaccination programme for FSME-Immun(®) compared to no vaccination amounts to € 15,128 per QALY gained and for Encepur(®) € 20,099 per QALY gained from the view of the health care payer. From the view of the society vaccination is cost saving, mainly due to avoiding the high indirect costs. CONCLUSIONS: According to the cost-effectiveness threshold as proposed by the Slovenian Health Council, the current Slovenian vaccination programme against TBE is cost-effective from the health care payer's perspective and also economical from the society's perspective.