Course Number: 306
Professor: Barbara Garcia
Student: Sheldon Bennett
Universal vaccination of children against hepatitis A in Chile: a cost-effectiveness study
According
to the Center of
Disease Control (CDC)
Hepatitis A is caused by infection with the Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
Hepatitis A has an incubation period of approximately 28 days
(range: 15–50 days).
HAV replicates in the liver and is shed in high concentrations in feces from 2 weeks before to 1 week after the onset of clinical illness. HAV infection produces a selflimited disease that does not result in chronic infection or chronic liver disease.
Purpose of Study
The
Scientist performed the study to evaluate the healthcare and economic impact of routine hepatitis
A vaccination of toddlers in Chile.
VACINE
Connection Between The Exposure
And Disease
The
study showed that the cost of treatment after exposure to
Hepatitis A was far greater than the cost of vaccination per toddler.
Major Techniques Used In The
Study
The scientists used a dynamic model of hepatitis A infection to evaluate the impact of a two dose vaccination program, administered at ages
12 and 18 months.
The Major Results 1
The
number of hepatitis A infections were reduced from
228,666 to 46,693 and avoiding 107,109 symptomatic cases and 167 deaths, equivalent to annual and average reductions of 76.6% and 59.7%
The Major Results 2
The
study stated that the sensitivity analyses showed that a coverage rate of 90% would lead to a 72.7% reduction in symptomatic cases and a 52.9% reduction in deaths related to hepatitis
A.
The Major Results Number
3
The
study also went on to state that even at a coverage rate of
50%, universal vaccination of toddlers would reduce the numbers of symptomatic cases and deaths by
38.7% and 14.9%, respectively. The Major Results 4
The
researchers stated that the sensitivity analyses also showed that high levels of herd immunity relative to the base case would reduce symptomatic infection rates and deaths related to hepatitis A by 89.8% and 89.1%, respectively. The Support Of The Hypothesis
The
researchers