title: The cost-saving potential of prevaccination antibody tests when implementing a mass immunization program.
abstract: A seroprevalence study of hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was carried out among Saudi Arabian National Guard soldiers with the objective of determining the cost-saving potential of prevaccination antibody tests when implementing an immunization program for the soldiers. A systematic sampling of 450 blood samples from 1,350 soldiers who donated blood at our hospital was carried out. Antibody tests were performed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The seropositivity rates for antibodies to HAV, HBV, and VZV were 97.5, 17.8, and 88.5%, respectively. Comparing the cost of prevaccine screening with that of universal vaccination, it was estimated that savings of 76 and 32% could be effected for HAV and VZV. Conversely, screening for HBV before immunization could increase the cost of vaccinating against the disease by 49%. A seroprevalence study could be a useful cost-saving approach to a mass immunization program against endemic, natural immunity-conferring diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Prevention and Control, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Oni
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bannatyne
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qasem
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017046:Cost Savings; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006507:Hepatovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral