Australian national notifiable diseases case definitions
Leprosy case definition
This document contains the case definitions for leprosy which is nationally notifiable within Australia. This definition should be used to determine whether a case should be notified.
Communicable Diseases Surveillance
(Effective 1 January 2013)
Reporting
Only a confirmed case should be notified.Confirmed case
A confirmed case requires either laboratory definitive evidence OR laboratory suggestive evidence AND clinical evidence.Laboratory definitive evidence
Detection of Mycobacterium leprae by nucleic acid testing from the ear lobe or other relevant specimens.Laboratory suggestive evidence
Demonstration of characteristic acid fast bacilli in slit skin smears and biopsies prepared from the ear lobe or other relevant sitesOR
Histopathological report from skin or nerve biopsy compatible with leprosy (Hansen’s disease) examined by an anatomical pathologist or specialist microbiologist experienced in leprosy diagnosis.
Clinical evidence
Compatible nerve conduction studiesOR
Peripheral nerve enlargement
OR
Loss of neurological function not attributable to trauma or other disease process
OR
Hypopigmented or reddish skin lesions with definite loss of sensation.
Leprosy changes
In Reporting, changed 'only' confirmed cases to 'a' confirmed case.- Changed Confirmed case to 'either laboratory definitive evidence OR laboratory suggestive evidence AND clinical evidence'.
- Changed 'Laboratory definitive evidence to Laboratory suggestive evidence'.
Note
International reporting to the World Health Organization (WHO) is based on the WHO working definition: A person showing one or more of the following features, and who as yet has to complete a full course of treatment:
- hypopigmented or reddish skin lesions with definite loss of sensation
- involvement of the peripheral nerves, as demonstrated by definite thickening with loss of sensation
- skin smear positive for acid-fast bacilli definition.
