Increasing incidence of leprosy worries experts in Florida

In the US state of Florida, instances of leprosy, an infectious disease dating back to ancient times, are on a significant rise.

Health experts, as the New York Post reported, are apprehensive that this age-old malady might now be endemic to the region.

Central Florida accounts for almost one-fifth of all the recorded cases in the United States, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 81% of reported cases in Florida.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, usually spreads through prolonged contact.

The transmission occurs through droplets carried in the air from the nose and mouth of an infected person.

The disease has been historically rare in the United States, with the majority of cases being attributed to immigrants from countries where the disease is more prevalent.

Leprosy has seen a gradual increase since the 2000s, and in the past decade, it has more than doubled.

Public health bodies reveal that about 34% of the reported cases between 2015 and 2020 were locally acquired, contrasting the notion of infection being largely travel-related.

Hansen’s disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae.

The ailment affects skin, eyes, mucous membranes, and nerves, leading to disfiguring sores and nerve damage.

The disease has been around since before biblical times when the infected were often isolated in “leper colonies”.

Nowadays, the disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics when detected early, removing the need for quarantines.

Although leprosy is, in most cases, transmitted from person to person, it can also spread through zoonotic (animal) contact, particularly with armadillos.

Hansen’s disease can affect people of all ages, though it’s more common in patients aged 5 to 15 and those over 30.

According to medical professionals, over 95% of individuals infected with Mycobacterium leprae never develop leprosy as their immune system effectively combats the infection.

Some of the most severe effects of the disease include paralysis, vision loss, facial disfigurement, permanent damage to hands and feet, and shortening of the fingers.