Table 5.
Estimated Number of Opportunistic Infection Cases Averted Due to Antiretroviral Therapy, All Regions Combined
| Opportunistic Infection | No. of Cases Averted (95% CI) | Cost |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per Case, USD | Total Savings, USD (95% CI) | ||
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | |||
| Pulmonary | 38 100 (3300–65 000) | 182.76 | 7 000 000 (600 000–12 000 000) |
| Extrapulmonary | 41 400 (4800–67 000) | 234.99 | 9 700 000 (1 200 000–16 000 000) |
| Pneumocystis pneumonia | 4850 (−20 000 to 24 000) | 53.97 | 262 000 (−1 100 000 to 1 300 000) |
| Cryptococcal meningitis | 1990 (−1900 to 5100) | 301.00 | 599 000 (−560 000 to 1 500 000) |
| Cryptosporidium | 21 100 (−1160 to 48 000) | 6.65 | 140 000 (−7700 to 320 000) |
| Herpes simplex | 1380 (−12 000 to 11 500) | 3.16 | 4400 (−37 000 to 360 000) |
| Oral and esophageal candidiasis | 34 800 (−3800 to 61 000) | 3.65 | 127 000 (−14 000 to 225 000) |
| Cerebral toxoplasmosis | 15 600 (−2100 to 29 000) | NA | |
| Bacterial pneumonia | 18 800 (−94 000 to 102 000) | NA | |
| Total | 161 300 (12 200–256 000) | 17 700 000 (7 500 000–25 600 000) | |
For several opportunistic infections (OIs), the difference in incidence rate between antiretroviral therapy naïve and exposed was small relative to the uncertainty around each estimate, and so CIs for cases and costs averted were very wide and included negative values. When all OIs are combined, this uncertainty is minimised and there is an overall positive effect on cases and costs averted.
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; NA, no cost per case available; USD, US dollars.