Economic costs of respiratory tract infections in the United States

To evaluate one aspect of the impact of respiratory tract infections in the United States, national survey data were used to estimate direct and indirect economic costs. Overall, upper and lower respiratory tract infections are estimated to be responsible for approximately $15 billion in direct treatment costs. Physician charges account for about one half and hospital care accounts for approximately one quarter of these costs. An estimated 1.25 million patients are hospitalized yearly for community-acquired respiratory tract infections, and charges for their care are projected to exceed $4 billion. Almost 300 thousand patients acquire nosocomial respiratory infections yearly, and charges for treating these infections are approximately $470 million. Although costs associated with hospital care are substantial, approximately $10 billion (67 percent of the total estimated cost of these infections) results from treatment of patients in ambulatory settings. It is not possible to calculate the full magnitude of the indirect costs of respiratory infections, but losses in income of employed persons who miss work because of infection are calculated to be more than $9 billion per year.