Statement of Principles concerning strongyloidiasis No. 89 of 2010 (Cth)
Statement of Principles
concerning
STRONGYLOIDIASIS
No. 89 of 2010
for the purposes of the
Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
and
Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004
Title
This Instrument may be cited as Statement of Principles concerning strongyloidiasis No. 89 of 2010.
Determination
The Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(3) and (8) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA):
(a) revokes Instrument No. 283 of 1995 concerning strongyloidiasis; and
(b) determines in its place this Statement of Principles.
Kind of injury, disease or death
(a) This Statement of Principles is about strongyloidiasis and death from strongyloidiasis.
(b)For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, "strongyloidiasis" means an infection with the intestinal roundworm Strongyloides stercoralis.
(c)Strongyloidiasis attracts ICD-10-AM code B78.
(d)In the application of this Statement of Principles, the definition of "strongyloidiasis" is that given at paragraph 3(b) above.
Basis for determining the factors
On the sound medical-scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that strongyloidiasis and death from strongyloidiasis can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (the MRCA).
Factors that must be related to service
Subject to clause 7, at least one of the factors set out in clause 6 must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.
Factors
The factor that must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, strongyloidiasis or death from strongyloidiasis is connected with the circumstances of a person’s relevant service is:
(a)having cutaneous or mucosal contact with Strongyloides stercoralis roundworm larvae before the clinical onset of strongyloidiasis; or
(b)having an organ transplant, where the organ is infected with Strongyloides stercoralis, within the nine months before the clinical onset of strongyloidiasis; or
(c)being in an immunocompromised state at the time of the clinical worsening of strongyloidiasis; or
(d)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for strongyloidiasis.
Factors that apply only to material contribution or aggravation
Paragraphs 6(c) to 6(d) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, strongyloidiasis where the person’s strongyloidiasis was suffered or contracted before or during (but not arising out of) the person’s relevant service.
Inclusion of Statements of Principles
In this Statement of Principles if a relevant factor applies and that factor includes an injury or disease in respect of which there is a Statement of Principles then the factors in that last mentioned Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.
Other definitions
For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:
"an immunocompromised state" means a state where the immune response has been attenuated by administration of immunosuppressive drugs, irradiation, malnutrition, a malignant disease process or certain types of infection;
"death from strongyloidiasis" in relation to a person includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s strongyloidiasis;
"ICD-10-AM code" means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Seventh Edition, effective date of 1 July 2010, copyrighted by the National Centre for Classification in Health, Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 978 1 74210 154 5;
"relevant service" means:
(a) eligible war service (other than operational service) under the VEA; or
(b) defence service (other than hazardous service) under the VEA; or
(c) peacetime service under the MRCA;
"terminal event" means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes:
(a) pneumonia;
(b) respiratory failure;
(c) cardiac arrest;
(d) circulatory failure; or
(e) cessation of brain function.
Application
This Instrument applies to all matters to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the MRCA applies.
Date of effect
This Instrument takes effect from 10 November 2010.
Dated this twenty-seventh day of October 2010
The Common Seal of the )
Repatriation Medical Authority )
was affixed to this instrument )
in the presence of: )
KEN DONALD
CHAIRPERSON
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