CDC warns of surge in leprosy cases in central Florida

Aug 01, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Writer/Producer)

Leprosy cases are surging in central Florida. The CDC is warning that the disease is becoming endemic in the southeastern United States.

According to a recently published research letter from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, central Florida accounted for 81% of leprosy cases reported in the state. That percentage accounts for almost one-fifth of cases reported across the U.S.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s Disease, is a chronic infectious disease primarily affecting a patient’s skin and nerves. It is spread easily through extended close contact. If the disease is not treated, it can cause serious symptoms like blindness, ulcers, paralysis and the crippling of hands and feet.

The age-old bacterial disease has long been feared as a highly contagious, devastating condition. However, knowledge around leprosy has grown.

There is a treatment that usually lasts between one to two years and involves a combination of two to three antibiotics. Despite the effective treatment, the CDC said stigma around the disease remains, causing those experiencing leprosy to be isolated and discriminated against.

According to the World Health Organization, medical officials report over 200,000 cases of leprosy every year in more than 120 countries. The CDC states that about 150 people get infected with the disease in the U.S. annually.

In the research letter, officials said the report demonstrates a gradual increase in the incidence of leprosy in the U.S. and that the number of reported cases has more than doubled in the southeastern states over the last decade.

Florida also gained attention for leprosy cases back in 2015 when experts blamed armadillos for spreading the disease.

Tags: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida, Health

KARAH RUCKER: LEPROSY CASES ARE SURGING IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE CDC IS WARNING THE DISEASE IS BECOMING ENDEMIC IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

A RECENTLY PUBLISHED RESEARCH LETTER FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION SAYS CENTRAL FLORIDA ACCOUNTED FOR 81-PERCENT OF CASES REPORTED IN THE STATE. THAT’S ALMOST ONE-FIFTH OF CASES REPORTED ACROSS THE U.S.

LEPROSY, ALSO KNOWN AS HANSEN’S DISEASE, IS A CHRONIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE PRIMARILY AFFECTING A PATIENT’S SKIN AND NERVES.

IT’S SPREAD EASILY THROUGH EXTENDED CLOSE CONTACT.

IF THE DISEASE IS NOT TREATED, IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS SYMPTOMS LIKE BLINDNESS, ULCERS, PARALYSIS AND THE CRIPPLING OF HANDS AND FEET.

THE AGE-OLD BACTERIAL DISEASE HAS LONG BEEN FEARED AS A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DEVASTATING CONDITION. BUT KNOWLEDGE AROUND IT HAS GROWN. THERE IS A TREATMENT THAT USUALLY LASTS BETWEEN ONE TO TWO YEARS AND INVOLVES A COMBINATION OF TWO TO THREE ANTIBIOTICS.

BUT THE CDC SAID STIGMA AROUND THE DISEASE REMAINS AND THAT THOSE SUFFERING ARE OFTEN ISOLATED AND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, MEDICAL OFFICIALS REPORT MORE THAN 200-THOUSAND CASES OF LEPROSY EVERY YEAR IN MORE THAN 120 COUNTRIES.

THE CDC STATES THAT ABOUT 150 PEOPLE GET INFECTED WITH THE DISEASE IN THE U.S. EVERY YEAR.

IN THE LETTER FROM THE CDC, OFFICIALS SAY THE REPORT DEMONSTRATES A GRADUAL INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF LEPROSY IN THE U.S. AND THAT THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES OVER THE LAST DECADE.

FLORIDA ALSO MADE HEADLINES FOR LEPROSY CASES BACK IN 2015 WHEN EXPERTS BLAMED ARMADILLOS FOR SPREADING THE DISEASE.