Cost-effectiveness of detection of intestinal amebiasis by using serology and specific-amebic-antigen assays among persons with or without human immunodeficiency virus infection.
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.
Chang
Sui-Yuan
SY
Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sun
Hsin-Yun
HY
Ji
Dar-Der
DD
Lo
Yi-Chun
YC
Wu
Cheng-Hsin
CH
Wu
Pei-Ying
PY
Liu
Wen-Chun
WC
Hung
Chien-Ching
CC
Chang
Shan-Chwen
SC
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
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan