Cost-effectiveness of detection of intestinal amebiasis by using serology and specific-amebic-antigen assays among persons with or without human immunodeficiency virus infection

J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Sep;46(9):3077-9. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01151-08. Epub 2008 Jul 2.

Abstract

Among 345 persons who underwent indirect hemagglutination (IHA) serological assays and assays of specific amebic antigens in their stool samples, 24 of 36 (66.7%) who were seropositive for Entamoeba histolytica had intestinal amebiasis as determined by antigen assays compared with 2 of 309 (0.2%) who were seronegative (odds ratio, 307; 95% confidence interval, 64.9 to 1,451). The estimated cost to detect a case of intestinal amebiasis by serology followed by antigen assays ($52) could be reduced by 74.3% and 69.9%, respectively, compared with the costs of the concurrent use of both assays ($202) and the antigen assays alone ($173). Our finding suggests that IHA assays followed by specific-amebic-antigen assays can be cost-effective in the diagnosis of intestinal amebiasis among persons with or without human immunodeficiency virus infection who are at risk for E. histolytica infection.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis*
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / economics
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Dysentery, Amebic / diagnosis*
  • Dysentery, Amebic / economics
  • Entamoeba histolytica / immunology
  • Hemagglutination Tests / economics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Taiwan
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antigens, Protozoan