Disease burden of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Japan

Abstract

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus is the most frequently acquired congenital infectious agent that causes malformation in newborns in developed countries. Although there are many discussions worldwide about neonatal screening and treatment, there is scarce information relating to the lifetime economic burden of this disease, which is essential for calculating the cost-effectiveness of any screening and treatment programs.

Materials and methods: Economic and lifetime health burdens of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in the Japanese annual birth cohort in 2019 were calculated, using demographic, epidemiologic, health value, and economic indicators. The economic burden was divided into medical and social costs. Sensitivity analysis was performed, using high and low values for some indicators.

Results: Our model estimated that the overall cost due to congenital cytomegalovirus infection in 2019 was 27.6 billion JPY. Acute care costs comprised a small portion of the medical costs. Social costs were much higher than medical costs.

Conclusion: Our study revealed the economic burden of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Japan, which highlighted the significance of this disease. Our study will be helpful for guiding national strategies in Japan, including neonatal screening and early treatment.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy; Cytomegalovirus; Disease burden; Hearing loss; Quality adjusted life years.