Abstract 603 Poster Session I, Saturday, 5/1 (poster 176)

Objective: To evaluate the economic impact of a rubella outbreak in Southern Kansas in 1998.

Background: During April-August of 1998, a rubella epidemic occurred in southern Kansas, resulting in 35 laboratory-confirmed cases. Cases occurred among beef-packing plant workers of Hispanic ethnicity, their family members, persons in the community with no connection to the plants and non-Hispanics. No cases of congenital rubella syndrome have been identified to date.

Methods: We conducted a cost analysis of expenditures that resulted from the outbreak. We included the costs of containing the outbreak, business losses, and patient-related costs.

Results: During the outbreak, 8,410 doses of MMR vaccine were distributed. The total vaccination costs were estimated at $162,384 ($122,116 in vaccine costs and $40,268 in vaccine administration costs). The cost of laboratory testing for rubella totaled $4,619 (232 tests). The estimated cost of case investigation was $3,155. Active surveillance was conducted at 22 sites for various periods of time (600 hours in total). The cost of surveillance was $7,559. Total cost associated with containing the outbreak we estimated to be $177,717. The business loss to plants involved in the outbreak was estimated to be between $60,000 and $70,000. Patient-related costs are being estimated. Total cost of the outbreak was estimated to be between $237,717 and $247,717.

Conclusions: Outbreaks of rubella generate substantial costs, even if no cases of congenital rubella syndrome occur.