title: Cost effectiveness of enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot testing for the diagnosis of syphilis.
abstract: The burden of disease and associated health-care costs of syphilis are significant despite widespread screening and treatment. Our objective was to conduct an economic evaluation using a simulation model when comparing enzyme immunoassay (EIA) initial testing and Inno-Lia (IL) confirmatory testing (EIA + IL) with rapid plasma reagin (RPR) initial testing and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination assay (TPPA) and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption assay (FTA-ABS) confirmatory testing (RPR + TPPA/FTA). Estimates of prevalence, test costs and utilization of services for 2006 were derived from Alberta databases. Estimates of test characteristics were derived from the available literature. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was Canadian $461 per additional correct diagnosis (less costly and more effective). EIA + IL is cost-effective when compared with RPR + TPPA/FTA for screening and diagnosis of syphilis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Anderson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chuck
authors.forename: Arto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohinmaa
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tilley
authors.forename: Ameeta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics*; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial