Cost-effectiveness of on-site antenatal screening to prevent congenital syphilis in rural eastern Cape Province, Republic of South Africa.

OBJECTIVES

On-site screening and same-day treatment of maternal syphilis in underresourced settings can avert greater numbers of congenital syphilis cases, but health outcomes and associated costs must be evaluated jointly.

METHODS

We used decision analysis to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of two on-site antenatal syphilis screening strategies to avert congenital infections-qualitative RPR (on-site RPR) and treponemal immunochromatographic strip assay (on-site ICS)-compared to the current practice (off-site RPR/TPHA).

FINDINGS: With antenatal active syphilis prevalence of 6.3%, the incremental cost-effectiveness of on-site ICS in averting congenital infections was estimated to be USD104, averting 82% of cases expected in absence of a program. The incremental cost-effectiveness of off-site RPR/TPHA was USD82 but would avert only 55% of congenital syphilis cases. On-site RPR was dominated by the other screening strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

In settings of high maternal syphilis prevalence, on-site antenatal screening with ICS is a cost-effective approach to reduce the incidence of congenital syphilis.