Findings from Merck & Company in the Area of Biotechnology Reported (The Health Economic Burden of Dengue In Germany: a Retrospective Analysis of Statutory Health Insurance Claims Data): Biotechnology

2025 SEP 01 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Biotech Business Daily -- Researchers detail new data in Biotechnology. According to news originating from Boston, Massachusetts, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease primarily affecting tropical and subtropical regions. Due to climate change, spread of Aedes albopictus into Europe, and increased global travel, concern about dengue’s burden in non-endemic countries has been growing.”

Financial support for this research came from Merck Sharp Dohme LLC.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Merck & Company, “This study describes the health economic burden of dengue in Germany from the perspective of Statutory Health Insurance (SHI). A retrospective data analysis using an anonymized SHI claims database representing 11.0 % of the German SHI population was conducted; 440 dengue patients diagnosed between January 1st, 2015, and December 31st, 2018 were identified using ICD-10-GM codes. Propensity scoring matched cases to controls. Healthcare resource utilization and costs in the year following diagnosis were compared. One-year administrative incidence rate of dengue ranged from 1.4 to 1.7 per 100,000 individuals. Cases tended to be young (50.0 % were 18-34 years old), urban (69.1 %) individuals from southwestern Germany (60.7 %). Almost all cases were non-severe. Compared to controls, dengue patients had significantly higher healthcare resource utilization, including 3.2 times higher probability of being hospitalized, 8.2 more outpatient visits, and 9.5 additional sick leave days (all p< 0.001). Costs for total healthcare (<euro >769.8), inpatient (<euro >237.3) and outpatient (<euro >368.6) care also increased significantly (all p< 0.001). Inpatient costs accounted for 50.1 % of total costs. Dengue poses a sizable health economic burden in Germany in the year following diagnosis as it increases healthcare resource utilization, sick leave days, and healthcare-related costs compared to individuals without dengue.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The findings highlight the need for targeted public health interventions to mitigate the impact of dengue.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: The Health Economic Burden of Dengue In Germany: a Retrospective Analysis of Statutory Health Insurance Claims Data. Infectious Diseases Now, 2025;55(6). Infectious Diseases Now can be contacted at: Elsevier France-editions Scientifiques Medicales Elsevier, 65 Rue Camille Desmoulins, CS50083, 92442 Issy-Les-Moulineaux, France.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from E. Goodman, Merck & Company, Vaccines Outcomes Res Value & Implementat, 33 Ave Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, United States. Additional authors for this research include K. M. Schneider, S. Schnaidt, T. Viering, C. Jacob, L. Lang and W. Greiner.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idnow.2025.105107. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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