Societal costs due to meningococcal disease: a national registry-based study

Limited detailed evidence exists on the societal costs of meningococcal disease. The objective of this study was to estimate the average 5-year societal cost of events attributable to meningococcal disease in Denmark.

The study was based on the nationwide Danish registries. Incident patients diagnosed with meningococcal disease were identified and each matched with two controls, using direct matching on age, gender, and level of education. Siblings constituted a secondary control population where one patient was matched with one sibling control without meningococcal disease. Costs related to health care in the primary and secondary sectors, prescription medicine, municipality home care services and costs of production loss, ie, estimated loss of yearly earnings, were included (1997-2015).

The incidence of meningococcal disease fluctuated between 1980 and 2015. The average attributable societal costs were highest the first year after diagnosis, with costs equaling USD 18,920 per event in the primary study population (matched controls) and USD 16,169 in the secondary study population (sibling controls). Hospital admission costs accounted for 65% and production loss for 30%; however, having a lifetime perspective and including loss due to premature death further increase the costs of meningococcal disease events.

The costs of meningococcal disease are substantial, and the estimated costs of event may be informative in evaluating the impact of preventive interventions targeting meningococcal disease.