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. 2016 Mar 7;11(3):e0149568.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149568. eCollection 2016.

Rapid Syphilis Testing Is Cost-Effective Even in Low-Prevalence Settings: The CISNE-PERU Experience

Patricia Mallma  1 , Patricia Garcia  1 , Cesar Carcamo  1 , Sergio Torres-Rueda  2 , Rosanna Peeling  2 , David Mabey  2 , Fern Terris-Prestholt  2
Affiliations

Rapid Syphilis Testing Is Cost-Effective Even in Low-Prevalence Settings: The CISNE-PERU Experience

Patricia Mallma et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Studies have addressed cost-effectiveness of syphilis testing of pregnant women in high-prevalence settings. This study compares costs of rapid syphilis testing (RST) with laboratory-based rapid plasma reagin (RPR) tests in low-prevalence settings in Peru. The RST was introduced in a tertiary-level maternity hospital and in the Ventanilla Network of primary health centers, where syphilis prevalence is approximately 1%. The costs per woman tested and treated with RST at the hospital were $2.70 and $369 respectively compared with $3.60 and $740 for RPR. For the Ventanilla Network the costs per woman tested and treated with RST were $3.19 and $295 respectively compared with $5.55 and $1454 for RPR. The cost per DALY averted using RST was $46 vs. $109 for RPR. RST showed lower costs compared to the WHO standard costs per DALY ($64). Findings suggest syphilis screening with RST is cost-effective in low-prevalence settings.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. RST and RPR cost components.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Costs per woman screened and treated, by service comparing RST vs RPR at INMP and Ventanilla Network.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Univariate sensitivity analysis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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