VARICELLA VACCINATION FOR HEALTH-CARE WORKERS AT A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL - AN ANALYSIS OF COSTS AND BENEFITS

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the costs and benefits of vaccinating varice lla-susceptible healthcare workers at a university hospital with live, attenuated varicella-zoster virus vaccine. DESIGN: Retrospective revi ew of employee medical records and data on the cost of special paid ab sence for susceptible healthcare workers after exposure to varicella o r herpes tester. SETTING: A 988-bed tertiary-care university hospital. RESULTS: In 1994, 224 hospital employees (3.4%) were susceptible to t he varicella-zoster virus. There were 40 exposures to varicella and he rpes tester in that year, involving 29 of the susceptible employees. N ine (31%) of the exposed susceptibles became varicella immune by indir ect fluorescent antibody testing subsequent to exposure. Seventeen (59 %) have had multiple varicella exposures and special paid absences whi le employed by the hospital. In 1994, wages paid to healthcare workers while furloughed for the communicable period following varicella expo sure totaled $38,463.93. An additional $24,748.74 was paid to replacem ent workers during that same time. Varicella vaccine to immunize all 2 24 susceptibles in 1994 would have cost $17,920. Absences due to varic ella and herpes tester exposure also result in disruptions to patient care. CONCLUSIONS: Varicella vaccination for varicella-susceptible hea lthcare workers at a university hospital would result in financial sav ings and improved patient care. We recommend that other institutions c onsider the costs and benefits of adopting a varicella immunization pr ogram for their susceptible employees.