Cost of Bordetella pertussis illness in tertiary hospitals in Argentina.

UNLABELLED The National Immunization Commission and the National Program for the Control of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (Programa Nacional de Control de Enfermedades Inmunoprevenibles, ProNaCEI) updated the immunization policy in relation to Bordetella pertussis (BP) in 2009 in order to improve the control of this disease in accordance with international recommendations. To evaluate the financial impact of this new immunization policy, we must first know the cost on the health system of having a hospitalized or outpatient child infected with BP. The objective of this study was to describe the profile of costs of hospitalized or outpatient children with laboratory-confirmed BP infection in three hospitals of Argentina. This was a prospective study of the cost of BP in the period between December 2010 and March 2012. RESULTS The total cost for the entire cohort was 1,170,663.32 ARS (236,497.64 USD); direct medical costs were 1,124,052.31 ARS (227,081.27 USD); indirect costs and out-of-pocket expenses were 46,611 ARS (9416.6 USD). From this data, it is possible to conclude that the total average cost per patient was 10 546.52 ARS (95% CI: 9009-13,840) (2130.60 USD, 95% CI: 1820-2795), the direct medical cost per patient was 10 126.6 ARS (95% CI: 8607-13,171) (2045.77 USD, 95% CI: 1738-2660), and the indirect plus out-of-pocket costs (transportation and extras) were 419.92 ARS (95% CI: 344.7-565.3) (84 USD, 95% CI: 69-115). CONCLUSION The cost of a hospitalized child with confirmed BP is 10,546.52 ARS (95% CI: 9009-13,840) (2130.60 USD, 95% CI: 1820-2795). Direct non-medical costs and overhead costs account for 4% of the total cost, amounting to 419.91 ARS per family (84 USD, 95% CI: 69-115), approximately an 8% of an average salary.