COST ACTION 920

Inventory of QMRA Studies in Europe


Data sheet

Pathogen

Campylobacter (thermophilic)

Country or region

The Netherlands

Transmission route

 From

patients

To

  

Specific product(s)

 none

End-point(s)

 diarrhoeal illness, Guillain-Barré syndrome, reactive arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease


Reports or publications

Bibliographic reference

1. Havelaar AH, De Wit MAS, Van Koningsveld R, Van Kempen E. Health burden in the Netherlands due to infection with thermophilic Campylobacter spp. Epidemiol Infect 2000;125:505-522.

2. Havelaar AH, De Wit MAS, Van Koningsveld R. Health burden in the Netherlands (1990-1995) due to infections with thermophilic Campylobacter species. National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, 2000. Report no. 284550004.

3. Mangen MJJ, Havelaar AH, De Wit GA. Campylobacteriosis and sequelae in the Netherlands – estimating the disease burden and cost-of-illness. National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, 2004. Report no. 250911004.

Abstract

1 and 2. Infection with thermophilic Campylobacter spp. usually leads to an episode of acute gastroenteritis. Occasionally, more severe diseases may be induced, notably Guillain-Barre syndrome and reactive arthritis. For some, the disease may be fatal. We have integrated available data in one public health measure, the Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY). DALYs are the sum of Years of Life Lost by premature mortality and Years Lived with Disability, weighted with a factor between 0 and 1 for the severity of illness. The mean health burden of campylobacter-associated illness in the Dutch population in the period 1990-5 is estimated as 1400 (90% CI 900-2000) DALY per year. The main determinants of health burden are acute gastroenteritis (440 DALY), gastroenteritis related mortality (310 DALY) and residual symptoms of Guillain-Barre! syndrome (340 DALY). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that alternative model assumptions produced results in the above-mentioned range.

3. Each year, approximately 80,000 persons per year (range 30,000 - 160,000) are estimated to experience symptoms of acute gastro-enteritis as a consequence of infection with Campylobacter bacteria. On average 18,000 patients consult a general practitioner and 500 patients are hospitalised; for some 30 cases the disease could be fatal. Additionally, each year some 1400 cases of reactive arthritis, 60 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome and 10 cases of inflammatory bowel disease are associated with a previous Campylobacter infection. The disease burden and the cost-of-illness of Campylobacter infections and sequelae were estimated using a stochastic simulation model. Disease burden was expressed in Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), the sum of years of life lost and years lived with disability, weighted for the severity of disease. Considered in the cost-of-illness were direct health-care costs (e.g. doctors' consultations, hospitalisation, rehabilitation), direct non-health-care costs (e.g. travel costs of patients, co-payments by patients) and indirect non-health-care costs (productivity losses), using cost estimates for the year 2000. The disease burden associated with Campylobacter infections was estimated at 1200 DALYs per year, with a 90% uncertainty interval of between 900 and 1600 DALYs per year. The costs-of-illness were estimated to total 21 million per year with a 90% confidence interval of between 11 million and 36 million per year. Hence, Campylobacter infections pose an important public health problem for the Netherlands and incur substantial costs.

Status

Completed

Availability

http://www.rivm.nl/bibliotheek/rapporten/250911004.html
http://www.rivm.nl/bibliotheek/rapporten/250911004.html


Project group

Institute

RIVM, P.O. Box 1, 3720 Bilthoven, the Netherlands

Contact person

Arie.Havelaar@rivm.nl

Partners

 Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
LEI, The Hague, the Netherlands