Leprosy (Hansen's disease)

Statutory notification

• Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Case definition: See Leprosy (external site) national surveillance case definition.
• Notification: Notify using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 214KB) or regional residents (PDF 213KB). For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health summary

• Infectious agent: Mycobacterium leprae.
• Transmission: Humans only significant reservoir and transmission is person to person from the nasal mucosa of case to the skin or respiratory tract of another person.
• Incubation period: Usually from 9 months to 20 years.
• Infectious period: Most cases are not infectious within a day of appropriate multidrug therapy.
• Case exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Contact exclusion: Do not exclude.
• Treatment: Antibiotic treatment as recommended by the doctor.
• Immunisation:  Not available.
• Case follow-up: Conducted by local public health units and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate. 

Guidelines for public health units

• Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Leprosy (PDF 5518 KB)
• The Western Australian Tuberculosis Control Program
• WA Health Patient Fees and Charges Manual (PDF 1MB)
• Remember to think of leprosy when... (PDF 679KB). 

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• Infectious disease data