title: Diagnosis of leprosy in Victoria--a non-endemic area of Australia.
abstract: There have been at least 70 cases of leprosy in Victoria since 1950; the occurrence of 40 of these in the last seven years indicates that the disease is no longer rare in this State. The diagnosis was delayed in most patients, the average period of time between development of symptoms and diagnosis being 28 months. The most common presentations among these patients emphasize the point that a diagnosis of leprosy should be considered in patients who are suffering either from chronic skin diseases which are atypical and have not responded to therapy, of from localized disturbances of skin sensation.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003253:Consultants; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors