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Title
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The health and economic burden of chickenpox and herpes zoster in Belgium
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Author
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Abstract
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| Varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox (CP) and after reactivation herpes zoster (HZ). Vaccines are available against both diseases warranting an assessment of the pre-vaccination burden of disease. We collected data from relevant Belgian databases and performed five surveys of CP and HZ patients. The rates at which a general practitioner is visited at least once for CP and HZ are 346 and 378/100 000 person-years, respectively. The average CP and HZ hospitalization rates are 5·3 and 14·2/100 000 person-years respectively. The direct medical cost for HZ is about twice as large as the direct medical cost for CP. The quality-adjusted life years lost for ambulatory CP patients consulting a physician is more than double that of those not consulting a physician (0·010 vs. 0·004). In conclusion, both diseases cause a substantial burden in Belgium. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Epidemiology and infection. - London, 1987, currens
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Publication
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London
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2012
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ISSN
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0950-2688
[print]
1469-4409
[online]
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DOI
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10.1017/S0950268811002640
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Volume/pages
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140
:11
(2012)
, p. 2096-2109
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ISI
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000309724500023
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
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