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. 2023 Jan;59(1):64-71.
doi: 10.1111/jpc.16239. Epub 2022 Oct 17.

Targeted screening for congenital cytomegalovirus: A micro-costing analysis

Alanna N Gillespie  1   2 , Kim Dalziel  3 , Emma Webb  1   2   4 , Janis Wong  5 , Cheryl A Jones  1   2   6 , Valerie Sung  1   2   4 ; HearS-cCMV Project
Affiliations

Targeted screening for congenital cytomegalovirus: A micro-costing analysis

Alanna N Gillespie et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to determine the cost and potential cost-savings of delivering a targeted congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) screening programme through a universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) programme to detect cCMV-related hearing loss in infants from Victoria, Australia.

Methods: We completed a micro-costing analysis from a health-care perspective using data from a targeted cCMV screening programme piloted between June 2019 and March 2020. The programme involved collection of saliva samples to test for cCMV in infants who: received a 'refer' result on their second newborn hearing screen; were aged 21 days or less; and born at one of four maternity hospitals in Victoria, Australia. All costs to complete targeted cCMV screening were recorded in Australian 2020 dollars. Potential costs and benefits of adding targeted cCMV screening to the pre-existing UNHS programme were compared to when no screening was available up to 18 years to determine the likely cost or cost savings.

Results: The cost of adding targeted cCMV screening to Victoria's UNHS is $202 per infant screened. The total cost per positive case identified is $21 456. The overall cost of adding targeted salivary cCMV screening at the point of a second 'refer' result on the UNHS programme in Victoria's four largest hospitals is estimated to be $28 966 for the first year.

Conclusion: Targeted screening for cCMV provides families the opportunity to detect and, if appropriate, treat cCMV in the first month of life in line with current recommendations. It falls within the range between cost neutral and cost saving.

Keywords: congenital cytomegalovirus; hearing loss; micro-costing; targeted screening.

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Comment in

  • Letter to the Editor.
    Aldè M, Ambrosetti U. Aldè M, et al. J Paediatr Child Health. 2023 May;59(5):776. doi: 10.1111/jpc.16412. Epub 2023 Apr 19. J Paediatr Child Health. 2023. PMID: 37074195 No abstract available.

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