Abstract
Background
US college students are at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease (MenB). MenB caused ~57% of meningococcal disease cases among 16- to 23-year-olds in 2016, and was responsible for 10 US college outbreaks from 2011−2017 involving 41 cases and an at-risk population of ~182,000 enrolled undergraduates. Outbreaks cause disruptive anxiety among university communities and implementing a mass vaccination response imposes an often unforeseen financial burden. This study aimed to enumerate costs incurred during a points-of-dispensing, mass vaccination response to a US campus MenB outbreak.
Methods
The 2015 MenB outbreak at Providence College was used as a case study to develop an Excel-based (Microsoft, Redmond, WA) cost calculator to capture costs and resources associated with a MenB outbreak response. The calculator has user-modifiable inputs related to the vaccine-eligible population, accounts for each vaccination event and vaccine dose (Figure 1), and estimates direct costs (2016 USD) during 18 months post-outbreak. Potential/expected costs computed (assuming 100% vaccine coverage) were compared with estimated actual costs incurred during the outbreak, using a micro-costing approach.
Results
The estimated total cost for full vaccination of 4,795 eligible individuals was $1,798,399 ($375.06/person); based on actual vaccinations received, the cost calculator computed $1,350,963 in aggregate direct costs ($636.05/person fully vaccinated) (Table 1). In both analyses, medical supplies were the majority of costs (88–89%), followed by labor resources (7–9%).
Conclusion
This cost calculator quantifies the direct cost of a mass vaccination response to one campus MenB outbreak. Although the cost estimates herein are higher than previously reported, the calculator does not account for follow-up costs or productivity losses and therefore underestimates the true economic burden of a campus MenB outbreak. This outbreak response cost calculator can be used to aid in response planning and highlights the need to shift the public health response from outbreak control to prevention by proactive, pre-emptive vaccination using available licensed meningococcal vaccines.
Disclosures
E. M. La, RTI Health Solutions (RTI-HS): Employee and RTI-HS is an independent scientific research organization which was retained pursuant to a contract with Pfizer to conduct the research services which are the subject of this presentation/abstract., Salary and The RTI-HS employees who worked on this project did not receive compensation from Pfizer or any other organization, other than RTI-HS salaries.. S. E. Talbird, RTI Health Solutions (RTI-HS): Employee and RTI-HS is an independent scientific research organization which was retained pursuant to a contract with Pfizer to conduct the research services which are the subject of this presentation/abstract., Salary and The RTI-HS employees who worked on this project did not receive compensation from Pfizer or any other organization, other than RTI-HS salaries.. J. Fain, Pfizer Inc.: Employee at time of Study and Employee, Salary. L. Huang, Pfizer: Employee and Shareholder, Salary and Stocks. A. Srivastava, Pfizer: Employee and Shareholder, Salary and Stocks.
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