An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Dengue is a major public health challenge and a growing problem due to climate change. The release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is a novel form of vector control against dengue. However, there remains a need to evalu...

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Main Authors: Hugo C Turner, Duong Le Quyen, Reynold Dias, Phan Thi Huong, Cameron P Simmons, Katherine L Anders
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-05-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011356&type=printable
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author Hugo C Turner
Duong Le Quyen
Reynold Dias
Phan Thi Huong
Cameron P Simmons
Katherine L Anders
author_facet Hugo C Turner
Duong Le Quyen
Reynold Dias
Phan Thi Huong
Cameron P Simmons
Katherine L Anders
author_sort Hugo C Turner
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Dengue is a major public health challenge and a growing problem due to climate change. The release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is a novel form of vector control against dengue. However, there remains a need to evaluate the benefits of such an intervention at a large scale. In this paper, we evaluate the potential economic impact and cost-effectiveness of scaled Wolbachia deployments as a form of dengue control in Vietnam-targeted at the highest burden urban areas.<h4>Methods</h4>Ten settings within Vietnam were identified as priority locations for potential future Wolbachia deployments (using a population replacement strategy). The effectiveness of Wolbachia deployments in reducing the incidence of symptomatic dengue cases was assumed to be 75%. We assumed that the intervention would maintain this effectiveness for at least 20 years (but tested this assumption in the sensitivity analysis). A cost-utility analysis and cost-benefit analysis were conducted.<h4>Results</h4>From the health sector perspective, the Wolbachia intervention was projected to cost US$420 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted. From the societal perspective, the overall cost-effectiveness ratio was negative, i.e. the economic benefits outweighed the costs. These results are contingent on the long-term effectiveness of Wolbachia releases being sustained for 20 years. However, the intervention was still classed as cost-effective across the majority of the settings when assuming only 10 years of benefits.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Overall, we found that targeting high burden cities with Wolbachia deployments would be a cost-effective intervention in Vietnam and generate notable broader benefits besides health gains.
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spelling doaj-art-52f3b1dd33de44b1bc476cdf7d7305a02025-08-20T03:25:46ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352023-05-01175e001135610.1371/journal.pntd.0011356An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.Hugo C TurnerDuong Le QuyenReynold DiasPhan Thi HuongCameron P SimmonsKatherine L Anders<h4>Introduction</h4>Dengue is a major public health challenge and a growing problem due to climate change. The release of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia is a novel form of vector control against dengue. However, there remains a need to evaluate the benefits of such an intervention at a large scale. In this paper, we evaluate the potential economic impact and cost-effectiveness of scaled Wolbachia deployments as a form of dengue control in Vietnam-targeted at the highest burden urban areas.<h4>Methods</h4>Ten settings within Vietnam were identified as priority locations for potential future Wolbachia deployments (using a population replacement strategy). The effectiveness of Wolbachia deployments in reducing the incidence of symptomatic dengue cases was assumed to be 75%. We assumed that the intervention would maintain this effectiveness for at least 20 years (but tested this assumption in the sensitivity analysis). A cost-utility analysis and cost-benefit analysis were conducted.<h4>Results</h4>From the health sector perspective, the Wolbachia intervention was projected to cost US$420 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted. From the societal perspective, the overall cost-effectiveness ratio was negative, i.e. the economic benefits outweighed the costs. These results are contingent on the long-term effectiveness of Wolbachia releases being sustained for 20 years. However, the intervention was still classed as cost-effective across the majority of the settings when assuming only 10 years of benefits.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Overall, we found that targeting high burden cities with Wolbachia deployments would be a cost-effective intervention in Vietnam and generate notable broader benefits besides health gains.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011356&type=printable
spellingShingle Hugo C Turner
Duong Le Quyen
Reynold Dias
Phan Thi Huong
Cameron P Simmons
Katherine L Anders
An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.
title_full An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.
title_fullStr An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.
title_full_unstemmed An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.
title_short An economic evaluation of Wolbachia deployments for dengue control in Vietnam.
title_sort economic evaluation of wolbachia deployments for dengue control in vietnam
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011356&type=printable
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