title: Cost-effectiveness of detection of intestinal amebiasis by using serology and specific-amebic-antigen assays among persons with or without human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: Among 345 persons who underwent indirect hemagglutination (IHA) serological assays and assays of specific amebic antigens in their stool samples, 24 of 36 (66.7%) who were seropositive for Entamoeba histolytica had intestinal amebiasis as determined by antigen assays compared with 2 of 309 (0.2%) who were seronegative (odds ratio, 307; 95% confidence interval, 64.9 to 1,451). The estimated cost to detect a case of intestinal amebiasis by serology followed by antigen assays ($52) could be reduced by 74.3% and 69.9%, respectively, compared with the costs of the concurrent use of both assays ($202) and the antigen assays alone ($173). Our finding suggests that IHA assays followed by specific-amebic-antigen assays can be cost-effective in the diagnosis of intestinal amebiasis among persons with or without human immunodeficiency virus infection who are at risk for E. histolytica infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sui-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hsin-Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dar-Der
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Pei-Ying
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen-Chun
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Shan-Chwen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000276:immunology; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan