Economic impact of the 2009-2010 Guam mumps outbreak on the public health sector and affected families.
BACKGROUND
The United States Territory of Guam reported a large mumps outbreak of 505 cases during 2009-2010. We assessed the economic impact of the outbreak from the perspectives of the local public health sector and affected families.


METHODS
Using standard cost analysis methods, we retrospectively identified all public health personnel involved in the outbreak response and surveyed them about their outbreak-related activities. We then estimated the costs of outbreak-related personnel hours and materials. We also assessed out-of-pocket costs and costs incurred for work-time missed for persons with mumps and their families. We defined the analysis period as February 25-October 22, 2010.


RESULTS
Seventy-six public health personnel were involved in outbreak response activities. Overall, the response required approximately 8264 person-hours, 2380 miles driven, and 3000 doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine ordered. The cost to the public health sector was 256,785 U.S. dollars (USD). Families of 102 persons with mumps were interviewed. An estimated 761 USD per person with mumps was spent by families; 88% of this cost was due to missed days of work. The estimated total cost to families of the 470 persons with mumps during the analysis period was 357,670 USD. Total outbreak-related costs were 614,455 USD.


CONCLUSIONS
The costs reported underscore the impact of mumps outbreaks in highly vaccinated populations and the need for effective mumps prevention and control strategies.
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, United States. AMahamud@cdc.gov
Abdirahman
A
Mahamud
A Parker
AP
Fiebelkorn
George
G
Nelson
Annette
A
Aguon
John
J
McKenna
Gissela
G
Villarruel
Kathleen
K
Gallagher
Ismael R
IR
Ortega-Sánchez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006141:Guam / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009107:Mumps / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics*; D017150:Public Sector / Q000191:economics*; D055815:Young Adult