title: Cost analysis of nucleic acid amplification for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis, within the context of the Brazilian Unified Health Care System.
abstract: We estimated the costs of a molecular test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and resistance to rifampin (Xpert MTB/RIF) and of smear microscopy, within the Brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS, Unified Health Care System). In SUS laboratories in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Manaus, we performed activity-based costing and micro-costing. The mean unit costs for Xpert MTB/RIF and smear microscopy were R$35.57 and R$14.16, respectively. The major cost drivers for Xpert MTB/RIF and smear microscopy were consumables/reagents and staff, respectively. These results might facilitate future cost-effectiveness studies and inform the decision-making process regarding the expansion of Xpert MTB/RIF use in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Piovezan
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Entringer
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anete
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trajman
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000191:economics*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D012293:Rifampin