Volume 10, Number 10—October 2004
Perspective
West Nile Virus Economic Impact, Louisiana, 2002
Armineh Zohrabian*
, Martin I. Meltzer*, Raoult Ratard†, Kaafee Billah*, Noelle A. Molinari*, Kakoli Roy*, R. Douglas Scott*, and Lyle R. Petersen*
, Martin I. Meltzer*, Raoult Ratard†, Kaafee Billah*, Noelle A. Molinari*, Kakoli Roy*, R. Douglas Scott*, and Lyle R. Petersen*Table 1
Costsa of inpatient treatment, by treatment/service category, for 119 patients with West Nile virus illness, Louisiana, 2002
| Treatment/Service category | nb | Per patient costs ($) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | Range | Interquartile range | Total costs ($) | ||
| Pharmacy/Medical supplies | 115 | 2,934 | 16–88,825 | 994–7,601 | 887,759 |
| Diagnostic | 118 | 2,417 | 95–42,064 | 1,370–4,844 | 547,935 |
| Room and board | 117 | 1,132 | 52–16,445 | 640–2,266 | 237,917 |
| Medical/Surgical services | 75 | 675 | 15–21,606 | 183–3,261 | 200,233 |
| Intensive care | 24 | 5,526 | 439–17,769 | 2,320–11,001 | 162,360 |
| Rehabilitationc | 35 | 425 | 71–4,202 | 189–367 | 32,947 |
| Emergency service | 79 | 271 | 90–1,416 | 195–372 | 25,947 |
| Other | 33 | 109 | 1–2,620 | 20–247 | 8,873 |
| Total | 119 | 8,274 | 623–164,668 | 3,627–18,197 | 2,103,971 |
aEconomic costs were estimated on the basis of hospital charges, by using Medicare cost-to-charge ratio for Louisiana—0.41 for urban areas and 0.488 for rural areas.
bn, number of patients who incurred costs in this category among the 119 patients. Per patient statistics include only the patients who incurred costs in this category.
cRehabilitation costs indicated are those incurred during acute care hospital treatment. Costs of rehabilitation treatment in rehabilitation facilities are not included.
