The health and economic burden of chickenpox and herpes zoster in Belgium

Epidemiol Infect. 2012 Nov;140(11):2096-109. doi: 10.1017/S0950268811002640. Epub 2012 Jan 10.

Abstract

Varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox (CP) and after reactivation herpes zoster (HZ). Vaccines are available against both diseases warranting an assessment of the pre-vaccination burden of disease. We collected data from relevant Belgian databases and performed five surveys of CP and HZ patients. The rates at which a general practitioner is visited at least once for CP and HZ are 346 and 378/100 000 person-years, respectively. The average CP and HZ hospitalization rates are 5·3 and 14·2/100 000 person-years respectively. The direct medical cost for HZ is about twice as large as the direct medical cost for CP. The quality-adjusted life years lost for ambulatory CP patients consulting a physician is more than double that of those not consulting a physician (0·010 vs. 0·004). In conclusion, both diseases cause a substantial burden in Belgium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Ambulatory Care / economics
  • Ambulatory Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Belgium / epidemiology
  • Chickenpox* / economics
  • Chickenpox* / mortality
  • Chickenpox* / therapy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cost of Illness*
  • Female
  • Health Care Costs / statistics & numerical data
  • Health Care Surveys
  • Health Surveys
  • Herpes Zoster* / economics
  • Herpes Zoster* / mortality
  • Herpes Zoster* / therapy
  • Hospitalization / economics
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life
  • Quality-Adjusted Life Years
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult