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. 2021 Jan;27(1):140–149. doi: 10.3201/eid2701.190676

Table 5. Total direct healthcare cost of ED visits and hospitalizations from domestically acquired waterborne transmission of selected infectious diseases, United States, 2014* .

Disease or syndrome Value (95% CrI)
Treat-and-release ED visits†
Hospitalization
Direct healthcare cost, millions
Cost per visit Total no. visits Total cost, millions Cost per stay Total no. hospital stays Total cost, millions
Campylobacteriosis 1,710
(137–5,810) 319
(31–966) 0.545
(0.0177–2.61) 13,600
(3,850–35,800) 2,150
(192–6,900) 30.0
(1.71–121) 30.5
(2.10–121)
Cryptosporidiosis 1,960
(238–6,270) 492
(167–957) 0.963
(0.0802–3.44) 16,100
(4,360–55,400) 1,120
(102–3,550) 17.9
(1.10–79.5) 18.9
(1.82–80.4)
Giardiasis 1,620
(196–7,510) 567
(185–1,120) 0.917
(0.0861–3.78) 21,800
(6,160–99,200) 1,100
(364–2,180) 23.9
(3.53–104) 24.8
(4.21–105)
Legionnaires’ disease 691
(288–1,390) 667
(289–1,200) 0.460
(0.127–1.13) 37,100
(7,950–149,000) 10,800
(7,280–13,100) 401
(79.0–1,690) 402
(79.5–1,690)
NTM infection 1,610
(129–6,430) 5,080
(2,560–7,750) 8.17
(0.584–34.0) 29,600
(6,350–120,000) 51,400
(26,800–74,100) 1,520
(266–6,370) 1,530
(272–6,380)
Norovirus‡ 1,140 26,300 30.1 6,080 4,780 29 59.1
Otitis externa 494
(120–1,430) 567,000
(337,000–823,000) 280
(60.2–846) 12,200
(3,320–42,400) 23,200
(13,900–33,600) 285
(67.8–1,040) 564
(187–1,570)
Pseudomonas pneumonia 856
(89–4,190) 291
(75–552) 0.249
(0.0162–1.27) 29,300
(5,910–114,000) 15,500
(4,130–28,100) 452
(49.8–1,950) 453
(49.9– 1,950)
Pseudomonas septicemia 923
(95–3,190) 36
(2–106) 0.0334
(0.000716–0.186) 38,200
(6,340–172,000) 5,590
(722–14,000) 214
(11.4–1,030) 214
(11.4–1,030)
Salmonellosis, nontyphoidal 1,230
(161–4,500) 194
(15–671) 0.240
(0.00734–1.24) 14,900
(4,300–46,900) 1,520
(100–5,660) 22.6
(0.870–110) 22.8
(1.08–110)
STEC infection, serotype O157 1,070
(109–2,350) 12
(2–35) 0.0130
(0.00734–0.051) 19,000
(3,790–85,000) 138
(14–503) 2.67
(0.129–14.5) 2.68
(0.141–14.5)
STEC infection, serotype non-O157 1,070
(109–2,350) 4
(0–16) 0.00440
(0–0.0223) 24,200
(4,780–138,000) 74
(0–308) 1.76
(0–11.0) 1.76
(0.00186–11.0)
Shigellosis 952
(115–3,980) 64
(5–311) 0.0609
(0.00171–0.349) 14,200
(4,130–48,000) 245
(13–1,140) 3.41
(0.106–18.9) 3.47
(0.140–19.0)
Vibrio spp. infection 1,030
(293–3,330) 76
(14–166) 0.0777
(0.00765–0.276) 16,000
(3,780–39,900) 251
(153–362) 4.02
(0.811–10.7) 4.10
(0.891–10.8)
Total cost 322
(100–889) 3,010
(1,120–8,410) 3,330
(1,370–8,770)

*Values are 2004 US dollars except as indicated. Estimates rounded to 3 significant figures. CrI, credible interval; ED, emergency department; NTM, nontuberculous mycobacterial; STEC, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
†Treat-and-release ED visits were defined as visits in which the person was not admitted to the hospital.
‡For norovirus only, costs were derived from previously published estimates that did not include uncertainty intervals. In addition, the number of ED visits includes visits in which the patient was admitted to the hospital.