Materials and Methods: All in-patients treated from March 2003 to February 2009 were checked for HIV, Hepatitis B and C by analyzing Anti-HIV IgG/IgM, HBs-Ag, Anti-HBc(IgG/IgM) and HBV PCR, Anti-HCV-IgG, HCV-PCR. The overall cost of screening every patient was calculated by multiplying the screening costs times the number of patients. The treatment costs for HIV, Hepatitis B and C were calculated assuming a 40 year-old person developed a chronic disease without further complications and had a life expectancy of 80 years.
Results: 65 out of 1243 patients had a positive result for HIV, Hepatitis B and/or C, resulting in a prevalence of 5.32%. The screening cost for one patient is €34, resulting in €42 262 for the study year. Hypothetical treatment costs would result in €628 000 for HIV, and respectively €284 600 and €345 808 for a chronic Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C infection, assuming no further complications.
Conclusion: The routine screening of all patients undergoing surgical treatment is cheaper compared to treating an infected staff member. Awareness of a patient's infectious status would allow additional infection control measures to be taken only when necessary, rather than for all patients treated.