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Volume 8, Number 11—November 2002
THEME ISSUE
Tuberculosis Genotyping
Tuberculosis Genotyping Network, United States

Estimated Costs of False Laboratory Diagnoses of Tuberculosis in Three Patients

Jill M. Northrup*Comments to Author , Ann C. Miller*, Edward Nardell*†, Sharon Sharnprapai*, Sue Etkind*, Jeffrey Driscoll‡, Michael McGarry‡, Harry W. Taber‡, Paul Elvin*, Noreen L. Qualls§, and Christopher R. Braden§
Author affiliations: *Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; †Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ‡New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, New York, USA; §Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA;

Main Article

Table 3

Estimated costs for three patients who received misdiagnoses of active tuberculosis disease on the basis of laboratory cross-contamination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis specimensa,b

Cost category Estimated costs (U.S.$)
Patient 1 Patient 2 Patient 3 Total
Case managementc 226 288 100 614
Outpatient visits 186 58 443 687
TB medications and PPD 175 606 5,061 5,842
DOT provisiond 0 508 868 1,376
Tests and procedures 134 1,904 2,703 4,741
Contact investigationse 0 10 0 10
Hospitalizationsf 312 6,905 12,131 19,348
Total 1,033 10,279 21,306 32,618

aCosts reported in 1999 U.S. dollars, rounded to the nearest whole dollar. Costs adjusted to 1999 dollars by using the Medical Care group of the Consumer Price Index.
bTB, tuberculosis; PPD, purified protein derivative of tuberculin; DOT, directly observed therapy.
cPersonnel time for health department case management and administrative support.
dPersonnel time to provide directly observed therapy
ePersonnel time to perform contact testing.
fDaily inpatient bed rate and differential for transfer to isolation room.

Main Article

Page created: July 19, 2010
Page updated: July 19, 2010
Page reviewed: July 19, 2010
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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