1. The economic value of a visceral leishmaniasis vaccine in Bihar state, India.
- Author
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Lee BY, Bacon KM, Shah M, Kitchen SB, Connor DL, and Slayton RB
- Subjects
- Cost of Illness, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Endemic Diseases prevention & control, Health Care Costs statistics & numerical data, Humans, India epidemiology, Leishmania immunology, Leishmania pathogenicity, Endemic Diseases economics, Leishmaniasis Vaccines immunology, Leishmaniasis, Visceral economics, Leishmaniasis, Visceral epidemiology, Leishmaniasis, Visceral prevention & control
- Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality and current available treatments have many limitations. The ability of VL infection to generate life-long immunity offers promise for the development of a VL vaccine. A VL vaccine candidate has recently completed phase I clinical trials. We constructed a computer simulation model to determine the potential economic value of a VL vaccine in the endemic region of Bihar state, India. Results found a potential vaccine to be cost-effective (and in many cases economically dominant, i.e., saving costs and providing health benefits) throughout a wide range of vaccination costs and vaccine efficacies, and VL risks. Overall, our study strongly supports the continued development of a VL vaccine.
- Published
- 2012
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