title: Estimating the burden of disease and the economic cost attributable to chikungunya, Colombia, 2014.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chikungunya (CHIK) virus disease is expected to be a considerable cause of disability and economic burden in Latin America given its chronic sequelae, particularly its chronic inflammatory rheumatism. There have been no previous studies assessing CHIK costs and disability in Latin America.
  
  
  METHODS
  We calculated incidence rates for CHIK during the 2014 outbreak in Colombia using epidemiological data provided by the Colombian National Institute of Health, using demographic data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics. The burden of disease was estimated through disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost and the costs were estimated based on the national recommendations for CHIK acute and chronic phase attention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a total of 106 592 cases, with incidence rates ranging from 0 to 1837.3 cases/100 000 population in different departments. An estimate was made of total DALYs lost of 40.44 to 45.14 lost/100 000 population. The 2014 outbreak estimated costs were at least US$73.6 million.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our estimates raise concerns about the effects of continued CHIK spread in Colombia and other Latin-American countries. The lack of transmission control for this disease and potential for spread means that there will be significant acute and chronic disability and related costs in the short and long term for Latin American health care systems.
authors.affiliation: Research Group Public Health and Infection, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, 660003, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.
authors.forename: Jaime A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cardona-Ospina
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Infection Control Research Group, Hospital Universitario de Sincelejo, Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia Programa del Doctorado de Medicina Tropical, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena, Universidad del Atlántico, Barranquilla, Colombia Committee on Zoonoses and Haemorrhagic Fevers, Asociación Colombiana de Infectología (ACIN), Bogota, DC, Colombia.
authors.forename: Wilmer E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Villamil-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Research Group Public Health and Infection, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, 660003, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia ESE Hospital Santa Barbara, Venadillo, Tolima, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Canizales
authors.affiliation: Research Group Public Health and Infection, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, 660003, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina, Seccional Pereira, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia.
authors.forename: Diana M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Castañeda-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Research Group Public Health and Infection, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, 660003, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia Infectious Diseases and Infection Control Research Group, Hospital Universitario de Sincelejo, Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia Committee on Zoonoses and Haemorrhagic Fevers, Asociación Colombiana de Infectología (ACIN), Bogota, DC, Colombia Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina, Seccional Pereira, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia Organización Latinoamericana para el Fomento de la Investigación en Salud (OLFIS), Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia arodriguezm@utp.edu.co.
authors.forename: Alfonso J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Morales
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years
keywords: Burden of illness; Chikungunya; Colombia; Disability; Illness cost; Latin America