Leprosy in Far North Queensland: almost gone, but not to be forgotten

Hempenstall, Allison; Smith, Simon; Hanson, Josh

doi:10.5694/mja2.50243

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…17,18 Diseases such as malaria and filariasis have been eliminated, while enormous progress has been made in reducing the burden of leprosy and hookworm, suggesting that the elimination of strongyloidiasis in Australia is a realistic aim. 19 Elimination would require sustained, well-funded, communityled programs with multiple components, including health education, improved sanitation, and, possibly, population-based chemotherapy. 18 However, to this point, efforts to address the infection have been passive, relying on improvements in general sanitation and the standard of living, supplemented by opportunistic treatment from interested clinicians.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid Progress toward Elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland, Tropical Australia, 2000–2018

Paltridge

Smith

Traves

et al. 2020

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Infection with Strongyloides stercoralis can cause life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients. Strongyloidiasis is thought to be hyper-endemic in tropical Australia, but there are limited contemporary seroprevalence data to inform local elimination strategies. To define the temporospatial epidemiology of strongyloidiasis in Far North Queensland, tropical Australia, the serology results of 2,429 individuals tested for the infection between 2000 and 2018 were examined. The proportion of positive tests fell from 36/69 (52.2%) in 2000 to 18/222 (8.1%) in 2018 (P < 0.001). Indigenous patients were more likely to have a positive result (Odds Ratio [OR]: 3.9, 95% CI: 3.0-5.0); however, by the end of the study period, residence in a rural or remote location (OR 3.9 (95% CI: 1.2-13.0), P = 0.03) was a more important risk factor for seropositivity than Indigenous status (OR 1.1 (95% CI: 0.4-3.1) P = 0.91). Ivermectin prescription data were available for the period 2004-2018, with annual prescriptions increasing from 100 to 185 boxes (P = 0.01). The volume of ivermectin dispensed correlated negatively with seropositivity (Spearman's rho = −0.62, P = 0.02). An expanded environmental health program was implemented during the study period and likely contributed to the declining seroprevalence; however, the relative contributions of the individual components of this program are difficult to quantify. The seroprevalence of strongyloidiasis has declined markedly in this region of tropical Australia despite there being no targeted campaign to address the disease. Expanded prescription of ivermectin and public health interventions targeting the few remaining high-prevalence communities would be expected to expedite disease elimination.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid Progress toward Elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland, Tropical Australia, 2000–2018

Paltridge

Smith

Traves

et al. 2020

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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“…The earliest cases in Indigenous Australians were reported in the 1890s; by the 1920s, these notifications outnumbered all others 4 . In Focus Territory numbers), with occasional reports today, predominantly in those from endemic countries 8,23,24 .…”

Section: Indigenous Australiansmentioning

confidence: 98%

Stigma, separation, sorrow: leprosy in Australia

Davis¹

2020

Microbiol. Aust.

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Leprosy (Hansen's disease) was introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s and its story reflects the attitudes of the 19th and 20th centuries, with treatment including segregation, paternalism, and racism. The approaches taken within the Australian states were similar and based on isolating people affected by leprosy, as both a measure to assist the patient but, more importantly, to protect the European society. The most devastating effects of this introduced disease and these approaches were on Indigenous Australians. With the advent of effective antimicrobials, isolation practices were slowly replaced with community-based treatment. However, the term 'leper' still evokes negative images in Australian society today.

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“…Diverse presentations of leprosy include lesions or thickened peripheral nerves. Although leprosy is curable with antibiotics, a delay in treatment can result in physical deformity and long term disability 89 …”

Section: Endemic Neglected Tropical Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although leprosy is curable with antibiotics, a delay in treatment can result in physical deformity and long term disability. 89…”

Section: Leprosy (Hansen Disease)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Neglected tropical diseases in Australia: a narrative review

Kurcheid

Gordon

Clarke

et al. 2022

Medical Journal of Australia

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Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent a threat to the health, wellbeing and economic prosperity of billions of people worldwide, often causing serious disease or death.• Commonly considered diseases of low and middle-income nations, the presence of NTDs in high income countries such as Australia is often overlooked.• Seven of the 20 recognised NTDs are endemic in Australia: scabies, soil-transmitted helminths and strongyloidiasis, echinococcosis, Buruli ulcer, leprosy, trachoma, and snakebite envenoming.

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Leprosy in Far North Queensland: almost gone, but not to be forgotten

Cited by 9 publications

References 2 publications

Rapid Progress toward Elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland, Tropical Australia, 2000–2018

Rapid Progress toward Elimination of Strongyloidiasis in North Queensland, Tropical Australia, 2000–2018

Stigma, separation, sorrow: leprosy in Australia

Neglected tropical diseases in Australia: a narrative review

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