title: Cost-effectiveness of a dual non-treponemal/treponemal syphilis point-of-care test to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A dual nontreponemal/treponemal point-of-care test (Dual-POC) that simultaneously detects both nontreponemal and treponemal antibodies has been developed and evaluated. In this study, we compare the health and economic outcomes of the new test with existing syphilis tests/testing algorithms in a high prevalence setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a cohort decision analysis model to examine 4 testing/screening algorithms; the Dual-POC test, the laboratory-based rapid plasma reagin and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (RPR+TPHA) algorithm, an onsite RPR testing, and point-of-care treponemal immunochromatographic strip (ICS) testing. Outcomes included miscarriage, stillbirth, congenital syphilis, low birth weight, and neonatal death. Disability-adjusted life-years were estimated for all health outcomes. The analytic horizon was the life expectancy for the mother and child.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For a cohort of 1000 pregnant women in a historically high syphilis prevalence population (10% infected and 15% previously infected), the model predicted a total of 39 adverse pregnancy outcomes if no serologic screening were performed; 13 for the laboratory-based RPR+TPHA; 11 for the on-site RPR strategy; 5 for the Dual-POC strategy; and 2 for the ICS strategy. On the basis of assumption that the cost of ICS and the Dual-POC tests were the same, the ICS strategy was the most cost saving (saved $30,000) followed by the Dual-POC strategy (saved $27,000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dual-POC test may help save cost in resource-poor settings where disease prevalence (and loss to follow-up) is high, while substantially reducing overtreatment.
authors: Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. Kowusuedusei@cdc.gov
authors: Kwame
authors: K
authors: Owusu-Edusei
authors: Thomas L
authors: TL
authors: Gift
authors: Ronald C
authors: RC
authors: Ballard
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000465:Algorithms; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000191:economics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011935:Reagins / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013588:Syphilis Serodiagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D011935:Reagins