The economic burden of dengue fever in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Rapid urbanization, global trade, and the exceptionally great numbers of worldwide visitors during Hajj and Umrah have all placed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at a significant risk of introducing several vector-borne tropical diseases, such as dengue fever virus (DENV) infection. In this study we estimated DENV infection cost of illness (COI) in Saudi Arabia in the period 2013–2017, by processing national data including all declared cases recorded in referral centers in the western region, being the endemic region of the country. Using a statistically validated predictive model that was built on a representative sample of 717 laboratory-confirmed cases of DENV infection, direct costs, due to care-related expenditures, were estimated by applying the predictive equation to national data. However, indirect costs, which are due to productivity loss, were estimated using the human capital model based on gross domestic product adjusted for invalidity duration. Further, under-reporting was adjusted by using an expansion factor EF = 3. We observed highest estimated costs in 2016 with over US$168.5 Million total costs, including direct (US$29.0 Million) and indirect (US$139.5 Million) costs, for a total 4415 confirmed cases. The total DENV COI for the five years was estimated as US$551.0 Million for a total 15,369 patients (59.7%) out of 25,745 declared cases, resulting in an average cost of US$11 947.6 by patient. Depending on the year, productivity years loss costs accounted for 63.3% to 83.8% of the estimated total costs. Dengue has a substantial local economic burden that costs US$110.2 Million per year, stressing the urgent need for an effective national prevention strategy to perform considerable cost-savings besides reducing morbidity.

Spatio-Temporal Modelling Informing Wolbachia Replacement Releases in a Low Rainfall Climate

“…Since then, dengue cases have been reported in Jeddah and other neighboring regions in Saudi Arabia. The burden of dengue fever in the Kingdom has been estimated at USD 117M/year [ 23 ]. Mosquito vectors are mostly suppressed through pesticides but these are not necessarily successful [ 24 ] and there are increasing problems associated with resistance, particularly to pyrethroids [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of the Population in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia Regarding Dengue Fever and Its Prevention Measures: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

“…DF is a viral infection transmitted through infected mosquito bites that can lead to morbidity, hospitalization, and, in some cases, death [ 3 , 23 ]. In addition, 15,369 patients (59.7%) out of 25,745 declared cases in the KSA were estimated to have suffered from DF between 2013 and 2017, resulting in an average cost of USD 11,947.6 per patient [ 24 ]. This study aimed to measure the KAP toward DF and its control measures among the Jazan population in the southwest of Saudi Arabia.…”

Real world data study of prevalence and direct costs related to dengue management in Brazil's private healthcare from 2015 to 2020

“…This finding is consistent with previous analyses that pointed out the use of hospital resources as the main component of direct costs in dengue management. 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 …”