Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Dengue, the most rapidly spreading vector-borne disease, poses a substantial burden on patients, healthcare systems, and society at large. This study aims to estimate the economic burden of confirmed dengue cases in Spain.
METHODS: An incidence-based cost-of-illness approach from a social perspective was used to estimate the burden of an acute dengue episode and the burden of all confirmed cases in 2024. The burden was classified as direct healthcare costs (DHC), direct non-healthcare costs (DNHC), and indirect costs (IC). The model was based on the analysis of Spanish official databases and a scientific literature review on PubMed®. Moreover, a multidisciplinary advisory committee validated the model, and a sensitivity analysis was included. Costs are presented per average patient, per hospitalized patient, and for all confirmed cases, in 2024 Euros.
RESULTS: The number of confirmed dengue cases in 2024 was estimated between 598 and 724 (including probable cases). The estimated socioeconomic burden was €2,493 (€1,829 to €3,795) per patient, €4,649 (€4,083 to €6,103) per hospitalized patient, and €1,490,688 (€1,093,801 to €2,745,405) for all confirmed cases. The largest proportion of the socioeconomic burden, supported by patients’ out-of-pocket medical expenditures, was associated with DHC (74.26% in average patients and 80.09% in average hospitalized patients), followed by IC (13.28% and 11.74%, respectively) and DNHC (12.47% and 8.18%, respectively). DHC were estimated at €1,851 (€1,406 to €2,421) per patient, €3,723 (€3,484 to €3,873) per hospitalized patient, and €1,106,934 (€840,768 to €1,751,947) for all confirmed cases.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first estimate of the socioeconomic impact of dengue in Spain, offering insights to inform evidence-based public health policies. Future studies should address the social return of preventive strategies such as public awareness campaigns, vector control programs, global collaboration, and immunization, among others.