Leprosy in Central Florida: 9 things to know about the disease

Sarah Wilson
·2 min read
4

Florida is among the U.S. states with the most recent cases of leprosy, according to a report released by the CDC on Tuesday.

Of the 159 cases reported of the disease in the country in 2020, 27 were in Florida.

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Central Florida accounted for more than 80% of those cases, the CDC said.

Channel 9 combed through the data provided by the CDC, as well as information from the National Hansen’s Disease Program, to compile 9 things you need to know about the disease:

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1. Most (95%) of the human population is not susceptible to infection with M. leprae, the bacteria that causes Hansen’s disease (leprosy).

2. Treatment with standard antibiotic drugs is very effective.

3. Patients become noninfectious after taking only a few doses of medication and need not be isolated from family and friends.

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4. Diagnosis in the U.S. is often delayed because health care providers are unaware of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) and its symptoms. The skin symptoms, according to the CDC, include:

  • Discolored patches of skin, usually flat, that may be numb and look faded (lighter than the skin around)

  • Growths (nodules) on the skin

  • Thick, stiff or dry skin

  • Painless ulcers on the soles of feet

  • Painless swelling or lumps on the face or earlobes

  • Loss of eyebrows or eyelashes

5. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent nerve involvement, the hallmark of Hansen’s disease (leprosy), and the disability it causes. Without nerve involvement, Hansen’s disease (leprosy) would be a minor skin disease.

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6. 159 new cases were reported in the U.S. in 2020 (the most recent year for which data are available). Most (110 or 69%) of these new cases were reported in:

  • Florida

  • California

  • Louisiana

  • Hawaii

  • New York

  • Texas

7. Of the 27 cases reported in Florida in 2020, 22 were in Central Florida:

  • 20 in Brevard County

  • 1 in Seminole County

  • 1 in Polk County

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8. A genetic study at the National Hansen’s Disease Program reports that armadillos may be a source of infection in the southern United States.

9. The National Hansen’s Disease Program advises:

  • The risk of transmission from animals to humans is low, but armadillos are wild animals and should be treated as such, with all proper precautions.

  • Individuals should decide for themselves whether to interact with these animals and, if so, what precautions to take.

Video: Dead armadillo on the tarmac delays 43 flights at Orlando International Airport

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