A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis

The objective of this study was to examine critically the validity of a toxoplasma prenatal screening program, in the context of a cost-benefit analysis, as it relates to the Canadian experience. Recently, studies have suggested that early treatment of infected infants with a combination of pyrimeth...

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Main Authors: Vic S Sahai, Heather Onyett
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1996-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1996/678145
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author Vic S Sahai
Heather Onyett
author_facet Vic S Sahai
Heather Onyett
author_sort Vic S Sahai
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this study was to examine critically the validity of a toxoplasma prenatal screening program, in the context of a cost-benefit analysis, as it relates to the Canadian experience. Recently, studies have suggested that early treatment of infected infants with a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is effective in reducing the sequelae of toxoplasmosis. It was concluded that a carefully planned screening program for detecting and treating infants infected with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy is cost beneficial. The cost of delivering a screening and treatment program is less than half of what it would cost to provide comprehensive long term medical, educational and other social services for the estimated 1000 children born each year with congenital toxoplasmosis. Even if an incidence as low as two infected infants per 1000 pregnancies is assumed and only 400 children were affected, the screening and preventive therapy program would be justified.
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series Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj-art-dcd514385c9d4691a7bca4399349f3ea2025-08-20T03:26:15ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases1180-23321996-01-017425926310.1155/1996/678145A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for ToxoplasmosisVic S Sahai0Heather Onyett1Sudbury and District Health Unit, Sudbury, and Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, CanadaSudbury and District Health Unit, Sudbury, and Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, CanadaThe objective of this study was to examine critically the validity of a toxoplasma prenatal screening program, in the context of a cost-benefit analysis, as it relates to the Canadian experience. Recently, studies have suggested that early treatment of infected infants with a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine is effective in reducing the sequelae of toxoplasmosis. It was concluded that a carefully planned screening program for detecting and treating infants infected with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy is cost beneficial. The cost of delivering a screening and treatment program is less than half of what it would cost to provide comprehensive long term medical, educational and other social services for the estimated 1000 children born each year with congenital toxoplasmosis. Even if an incidence as low as two infected infants per 1000 pregnancies is assumed and only 400 children were affected, the screening and preventive therapy program would be justified.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1996/678145
spellingShingle Vic S Sahai
Heather Onyett
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
title A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis
title_full A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis
title_fullStr A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis
title_full_unstemmed A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis
title_short A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Prenatal Screening for Toxoplasmosis
title_sort cost benefit analysis of prenatal screening for toxoplasmosis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1996/678145
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AT heatheronyett acostbenefitanalysisofprenatalscreeningfortoxoplasmosis
AT vicssahai costbenefitanalysisofprenatalscreeningfortoxoplasmosis
AT heatheronyett costbenefitanalysisofprenatalscreeningfortoxoplasmosis