VZV Foundation - A Decade Of Leadership In The Fight Against VZV Infections

	Oral Presentation Abstracts: 58 [58] VARICELLA EPIDEMIOLOGY IN GERMANY FOR HEALTH ECONOMIC ANALYSES S. Wagenpfeil (1), *A. Neiss (1), A. Goertz (2), H. Bisanz (2), P. Wutzler (3) (1) Institute of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Technical University Munich, Germany; (2) SmithKline Beecham Pharma, Munich, Germany; (3) Institute for Antiviral Chemotherapy, University Jena, Erfurt, Germany Varicella is not a benign disease in young adults, immunocompromised individuals, or pregnant women. Since basic epidemiological data of varicella in Germany were not available, a retrospective study was conducted to investigate the burden of the disease. A representative nationwide sample of 1,334 unvaccinated varicella cases was obtained from randomly selected pediatricians (P) and general practitioners/internists (A). Each physician was asked to contribute five randomly selected varicella cases occurring in 1999. Epidemiological data, medical resource utilization, and lost days of work were obtained from medical files via telephone interviews. Because of the retrospective nature of the study, we weighted the results according to the true relationship of diagnoses from the (P) and (A) populations. Based on the German prescription index for 1999, we computed weighted means using factors of 0.6 (P) and 0.4 (A), respectively. The results show that 16.3% of varicella cases take a severe course, as assessed by the treating physician. The overall incidence of varicella-related complications was estimated to be 6.1%. Complications accounted for an average of 0.09 hospital days per case. Certificates of disability, the most important economic indicator, were issued for 1.31 days per case. Of these, 0.63 days were paid by health-insurance funds to parents caring for their sick children. Assuming an annual incidence of 750,000 cases in Germany, this would result in one million days of work leave and indirect costs for society amounting to US$ 150 million per year. In conclusion, the findings suggest that introducing universal varicella vaccination in Germany could provide significant clinical and economic benefits for society as well as for the health-insurance funds. Corresponding Author: Stefan Wagenpfeil, PhD., Statistician, Institute of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81673 Munich, Germany

[58]

VARICELLA EPIDEMIOLOGY IN GERMANY FOR HEALTH ECONOMIC ANALYSES

S. Wagenpfeil (1), *A. Neiss (1), A. Goertz (2), H. Bisanz (2), P. Wutzler (3)
(1) Institute of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Technical University Munich, Germany; (2) SmithKline Beecham Pharma, Munich, Germany; (3) Institute for Antiviral Chemotherapy, University Jena, Erfurt, Germany

Varicella is not a benign disease in young adults, immunocompromised individuals, or pregnant women. Since basic epidemiological data of varicella in Germany were not available, a retrospective study was conducted to investigate the burden of the disease. A representative nationwide sample of 1,334 unvaccinated varicella cases was obtained from randomly selected pediatricians (P) and general practitioners/internists (A). Each physician was asked to contribute five randomly selected varicella cases occurring in 1999. Epidemiological data, medical resource utilization, and lost days of work were obtained from medical files via telephone interviews.
Because of the retrospective nature of the study, we weighted the results according to the true relationship of diagnoses from the (P) and (A) populations. Based on the German prescription index for 1999, we computed weighted means using factors of 0.6 (P) and 0.4 (A), respectively.
The results show that 16.3% of varicella cases take a severe course, as assessed by the treating physician. The overall incidence of varicella-related complications was estimated to be 6.1%. Complications accounted for an average of 0.09 hospital days per case. Certificates of disability, the most important economic indicator, were issued for 1.31 days per case. Of these, 0.63 days were paid by health-insurance funds to parents caring for their sick children. Assuming an annual incidence of 750,000 cases in Germany, this would result in one million days of work leave and indirect costs for society amounting to US$ 150 million per year.
In conclusion, the findings suggest that introducing universal varicella vaccination in Germany could provide significant clinical and economic benefits for society as well as for the health-insurance funds.

Corresponding Author: Stefan Wagenpfeil, PhD., Statistician, Institute of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81673 Munich, Germany