OBJECTIVES: Meningitis is a serious infection that affects the central nervous system with an incidence of 10,76 cases per 100 000 inhabitants in Algeria. The constraints encountered when using conventional diagnostic methods (CDMs) for meningitis have led to developing new diagnostic methods, including multiplex PCR (MPCR). The aim was to evaluate the medico-economic contribution of MPCR compared with CDMs.

METHODS: A Medico-economic modelling was established over five-years, showing comparative costs between MPCR and CDMs in three scenarios considered when simplex-PCR detected the pathogenic germ: from the 1^st test (best case), 4^th test (base case), 7^th test (worst case) knowing that MPCR can detect six bacteria, seven viruses and one fungus simultaneously. This model is based on results obtained from a hospital laboratory that has been extrapolated to the Algerian population. The data were based on the public and private sectors. After describing the conventional and the new MPCR diagnostic methods, we calculated the costs of a bacteriological examination of cerebrospinal fluid, simplex-PCR and MPCR tests.

RESULTS: 359 cases were examined in the hospital laboratory. When comparing conventional diagnostic and MPCR methods, MPCR was more expensive than CDMs in best case. However, in base and worst cases, MPCR were less expensive.

The estimated population with meningitis is 4927 people in the first year. A minor increase in the cumulative incremental budget has been observed in the first scenario. However, in 2^nd and 3^rd scenarios, MPCR have generated significant savings of more than 1,417,366$ and 3,242,796$ respectively over the five years.

CONCLUSIONS: The comparison between CDMs and MPCR highlights the advantages of this one despite its initial cost. In addition, MPCR reduces the time taken to make a diagnosis, decreasing duration and hospitalization-cost and leading to the appropriate use of antibiotics. This enables early therapeutic adaptation, which influences the patient journey and avoids antibiotic resistance.