Leprosy control in the Northern Territory

An epidemic of leprosy occurred among Aboriginal people of the Top End of the Northern Territory following its introduction towards the end of the 19th Century. The extent of this outbreak became apparent through community surveys conducted in the 1950s which revealed that one in 10 Aboriginal people in some areas were affected by leprosy. Initial control activities were outbreak-focused, directed at case finding and management. Case finding was by systematic community survey. Case management included appropriate rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery. Regular review of treated patients ensured early detection of relapse and detection and treatment of sequelae. Education and full participation of Aboriginal health workers in the diagnosis and management of cases provided local expertise at the hospital and community level. The case detection rate fell from 270 per 100,000 in the Aboriginal population in 1951 to four per 100,000 in 1997. Elimination of transmission is now the objective of the control program. Combining of the tuberculosis and leprosy control activities of the Territory Health Service in 1996 resulted in increased efficiency of the mycobacterial services.