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Volume 21, Number 6—June 2015
Research

Cost-effectiveness of Chlamydia Vaccination Programs for Young Women

Kwame Owusu-EduseiComments to Author , Harrell W. Chesson, Thomas L. Gift, Robert C. Brunham, and Gail Bolan
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (K. Owusu-Edusei Jr, H.W. Chesson, T.L. Gift, G. Bolan); University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (R.C. Brunham)

Main Article

Table 1

Model parameters, base-case values, and ranges used in a model to assess health and economic outcomes of a hypothetical chlamydia vaccine*

Parameter Value (range)
 Reference
Men Women
Duration of symptomatic infection, d 14 (10–21) 28 (10–35) (15,16)
Duration of asymptomatic infection, d 182.5 (120–240) 365 (240–480) (15,16)
Incubation period, d 14 (7–21) 14 (7–21) (15,16)
Duration of sequelae, d 21 (10–30) 60 (45–75) (16)
Probability of sequelae, % 2 (0–5) 15 (10–20) (16,18)
Per-partnership transmission probability, % 70 (25–80) 68 (25–80) (19)
Probability of symptomatic infection, % 50 (20–80) 20 (10–50) (15,16)
Average no. partners in past year, high sexual activity 13.30 (10.00–16.00) 33.26 (30.00–40.00) (15,16,20)
Average no. partners in past year, low sexual activity 0.90 (0.60–1.20) 0.88 (0.60–1.50) (15,16,20)
Proportion in low sexual activity class, % 95.0 (90.0–99.0) 97.9 (95.0–99.0) (15,16,20)
Annual screening rate, % 0 30 (10–50) (15)
Probability of postscreening treatment, % 80 (50–99) 80 (50–99) (15)
Probability of treatment, symptomatic, % 89 (80–100) 89 (80–100) (4)
Test sensitivity, % 95 (90–100) 95 (90–100) (21)
Test specificity, % 99 (95–100) 99 (95–100) (21)
Treatment efficacy (doxycycline, azithromycin), % 92 (80–100) 92 (80–100) (15,22)
QALYs lost/case
Symptomatic infection 0.005646 ± 50% 0.009913 (± 50%) (16)
Sequelae† 0.009530 ± 50% 0.497580 (± 50%) (16)
Costs (2013 US Dollars)
Treatment of acute chlamydia‡ 185.2 ± 50% 183.0 (± 50%) (4,23–25)
Sequelae† 1,337 ± 50% 4,516 (± 50%) (4,16,26)
Screening 55 ± 50% 55 (± 50%) (4,23)
Vaccination 547 ± 50% 547 (± 50%) Model assumption
Vaccine coverage, 14-y-old persons, % 0 30 (10–50) Model assumption (27)
Vaccine coverage, 15–24-y-old persons, % 0 30 Model assumption (27)
Vaccine efficacy, % 75 (50–100) 75 (50–100) Model assumption (27)
Duration of vaccine-conferred immunity, y 10 (1–100) 10 (1–100) Model assumption
Duration of infection-conferred immunity, y 1 (0.5–5.0) 1 (0.5–5.0) (17)
Relative size of the 14-y-old population entering model compared with overall population model, % 10 (5–15) Model assumption
Sexual mixing parameter§ 0.50 (0.10–0.90) Model assumption
Discount rate, % 3 (0–10) Model assumption

*QALYs, quality-adjusted life years.
†Includes productivity costs or QALYs (where applicable) for epididymitis for men and complications associated with pelvic inflammatory diseases (i.e., chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility) for women.
‡Includes productivity costs associated with acute chlamydia and seeking treatment (24) and the reported youth (16–24-y-old persons) employment rate in 2010 (48.9%) (25).
§Used to determine the degree of mixing between the 2 (high and low) sexual activity groups (0, random mixing; 1, fully assortative).

Main Article

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Page updated: May 15, 2015
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