Abstract
We reviewed data on a reportable disease in Tayside, Scotland, from 1988 to 1992 to estimate numbers of patients with chickenpox and the frequency of complications requiring hospitalization in adults. Average cost-effectiveness of acyclovir in dollars per day of symptoms avoided is $70 for children with chickenpox, $170 for adults with chickenpox, and $18 for adults with shingles. If acyclovir treatment is 50% effective at reducing admissions, the implied value is $35,262 per admission avoided, whereas data on prevention of postherpetic neuralgia suggest that treating shingles with acyclovir costs $2125 per case of postherpetic neuralgia avoided. We conclude that acyclovir treatment of patients with shingles is much more cost-effective than unselected acyclovir treatment of adults or children with chickenpox.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 138-145 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 1995 |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
-
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Cost-effectiveness of acyclovir for varicella infections in immunocompetent patients: A British perspective'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver