[Potentials of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis in Hungary: cost-benefit analysis]

Untreated chlamydial infections of the genital tract may cause a wide range of serious complications, which could be prevented by screening. Cost-effectiveness analysis based on previously reported epidemiological study among pregnant women was carried out to develop and evaluate cost-effectiveness of age-based screening (women younger than 20 years old) for Chlamydia trachomatis in Hungary. Three kind of screening strategies were used: a) no screening, b) screening by using ELISA test and c) screening by amplified Gen-Probe diagnostic test. Young age and unmarried status were significant predictors of the chlamydial infection. Prevalence of chlamydial infection was 11.4% in the group of age younger then 20 years. Strategy b) was more cost-effective than neither testing nor treating. Strategy c) was less cost-effective than non screening, unless certain conditions were satisfied. If the cost of the diagnostic test were less or equal than 2,000 HUF or the prevalence of infection in women were greater than 17%, screening strategy c) would be more cost-effective than no screening. Although screening by using ELISA test was more cost-effective than screening by amplified Gen-Probe test, additionally 10,000 infected cases could be prevented using amplified Gen-Probe method for screening Chlamydia trachomatis.