title: The cost effectiveness of vaccinating against Lyme disease.
abstract: To determine the cost effectiveness of vaccinating against Lyme disease, we used a decision tree to examine the impact on society of six key components. The main measure of outcome was the cost per case averted. Assuming a 0.80 probability of diagnosing and treating early Lyme disease, a 0.005 probability of contracting Lyme disease, and a vaccination cost of $50 per year, the mean cost of vaccination per case averted was $4,466. When we increased the probability of contracting Lyme disease to 0.03 and the cost of vaccination to $100 per year, the mean net savings per case averted was $3,377. Since few communities have average annual incidences of Lyme disease >0. 005, economic benefits will be greatest when vaccination is used on the basis of individual risk, specifically, in persons whose probability of contracting Lyme disease is >0.01.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. qzm4@cdc.gov
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Meltzer
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Orloski
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011336:Probability; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D008074:Lipoproteins; C072045:OspA protein