A cost-of-illness study of lyme disease in the United States

摘要: Lyme disease produces a diverse clinical picture that can include serious and potentially debilitating cardiac, neurologic, joint, skin involvement. It is characterized in three stages--early localized (stage I), early disseminated II), late III)--and medical management highly dependent on the stage at which patient presents physician's awareness of available treatment options. This study was conducted to establish economic burden overall US population, included determining its endemicity high-risk states counties, describing current patterns, measuring direct indirect costs, defining cost by age group ( or =18 years age). Medical, epidemiologic, data were collected, an algorithm developed representing natural course progress health over time following intervention. Using annual mean incidence 4.73 cases per 100,000 population decision analysis model yielded expected national expenditure $2.5 billion (1996 dollars) 5 for therapeutic interventions prevent 55,626 sequelae. estimate both costs. However, there evidence considerable variation within states. Our findings support development vaccination strategies specific target groups.