May, 2009
Cost comparison of rapid questionnaire screening for individuals at risk of clonorchiasis in low- and high-prevalence communities in northern Vietnam
TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
- ,
- ,
- ,
- ,
- Volume
- 103
- Number
- 5
- First page
- 447
- Last page
- 451
- Language
- English
- Publishing type
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.trstmh.2009.01.007
- Publisher
- ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Clonorchiasis is an emerging food-borne trematode infection in Vietnam. Due to the absence of cost-effective preventive measures its control largely relies on morbidity reduction by chemotherapy with praziquantel. We performed a comparative cost estimation of three different diagnostic and intervention approaches in areas of high and low prevalence of clonorchiasis in northern Vietnam in order to select more cost-effective chemotherapy. Our study confirmed that a questionnaire investigating the habit of eating raw, freshwater fish was a rapid, cost-effective and operationally feasible tool for identifying individuals at risk of clonorchiasis in both high-prevalence and low-prevalence areas. The cost of diagnosis and intervention per person and per true positive case was 20-fold higher in low-prevalence areas, regardless of the type of approach. Geographical mapping of high-risk areas prior to screening is, therefore, recommended to maximize the cost-effectiveness of the intervention activities. (C) 2009 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Link information
- ID information
-
- DOI : 10.1016/j.trstmh.2009.01.007
- ISSN : 0035-9203
- Web of Science ID : WOS:000265822400004