Costs of Campylobacter enteritis in Germany
Campylobacter is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause acute gastrointestinal infections in humans. In the European Union, Campylobacter enteritis (CE) is the most reported gastrointestinal disease, and the number of confirmed CE cases has stabilized at a high level in recent years. The corresponding incidence or notification rate in the EU-27 was 65 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2017. In Germany, CE is the most common notifiable bacterial infection and the incidence rate in 2017 was 84 reported cases per 100,000 inhabitants according to national surveillance data.CE risk factors include handling, preparing, and consuming chicken meat, drinking unpasteurized milk or untreated water, eating out, traveling, using proton pump inhibitors (PPI), and animal contact, especially with poultry.
A new study presents an overview of the healthcare utilizations and associated costs of CE and sequelae in Germany over a 12-month period.
Average Campylobacter-specific costs per patient receiving outpatient care were €524 ($573) over a 12-month period, while costs per hospitalized case amounted to €2,830 ($3,100). Analyzed partial costs ranged between €221 ($241) for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and €22,721 ($24,800) for Guillain-Barre´ syndrome (GBS) per patient per 12 months. Total costs of Campylobacter infection and sequelae in Germany in 2017 ranged between €74.25 million and €95.19 million ($81.2 million and $104 million).
