Costs Associated with Malaria in Pregnancy in the Brazilian Amazon, a Low Endemic Area Where Plasmodium vivax Predominates

Background: Information on costs associated with malaria in pregnancy (MiP) in low transmission areas where Plasmodium vivax predominates is so far missing. This study estimates health system and patient costs of MiP in the Brazilian Amazon. Methods/Principal Findings: Between January 2011 and March 2012 patient costs for the treatment of MiP were collected through an exit survey at a tertiary referral hospital and at a primary health care centre in the Manaus metropolitan area, Amazonas state. Pregnant and post-partum women diagnosed with malaria were interviewed after an outpatient consultation or at discharge after admission. Seventy-three interviews were included in the analysis. Ninety-six percent of episodes were due to P. vivax and 4% to Plasmodium falciparum. In 2010, the total median costs from the patient perspective were estimated at US $45.91 and US $216.29 for an outpatient consultation and an admission, respectively. When multiple P. vivax infections during the same pregnancy were considered, patient costs increased up to US $335.85, representing the costs of an admission plus an outpatient consultation. Provider direct and overhead cost data were obtained from several sources. The provider cost associated with an outpatient case, which includes several consultations at the tertiary hospital was US $103.51 for a P. vivax malaria episode and US $83.59 for a P. falciparum malaria episode. The cost of an inpatient day and average admission of 3 days was US $118.51 and US $355.53, respectively. Total provider costs for the diagnosis and treatment of all malaria cases reported in pregnant women in Manaus in 2010 (N = 364) were US $17,038.50, of which 92.4% (US$ 15,741.14) due to P. vivax infection. Conclusion: Despite being an area of low risk malaria transmission, MiP is responsible for a significant economic burden in Manaus. Especially when multiple infections are considered, costs associated with P. vivax are higher than costs associated with P. falciparum. The information generated may help health policy decisions for the current control and future elimination of malaria in the area. Author Summary: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is associated with maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. In addition to the clinical burden, MiP implies a significant economic burden, but the little available evidence on the economics of MiP is limited to Plasmodium falciparum malaria and to the sub-Saharan region. While an increasing interest has been recently devoted to the epidemiology and the clinical consequences of Plasmodium vivax, the economics of P. vivax malaria is neglected. P. vivax is endemic in Latin America, and Brazil is the country with the highest reported burden of MiP of the American continent. Between 2011 and 2012, we conducted a study in the city of Manaus, Brazilian Amazon, with the aim of estimating costs associated with MiP both from the health provider and the patient perspectives. Despite being an area of low transmission risk, we found that the costs of treating MiP are not negligible. In particular, both from the patient and the provider perspectives, costs underwent a remarkable increase when admission was required and when the cost of subsequent P. vivax malaria episodes during the same pregnancy occurred. The information generated may help health policy decisions for the current control and future elimination of malaria in the area.