Close-up view of bacteria that causes leprosy – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Photo By Kateryna Kon
Increasing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that leprosy, commonly known as Hansen’s disease, is spreading endemic in the Southeast United States.
According to a recent research letter from the CDC, 81 percent of cases recorded in Florida and nearly one-fifth of cases reported nationwide were from Central Florida. 159 new cases of Hansen’s disease were recorded in the US in 2020, according to the National Hansen’s Disease Program.
“Leprosy has been historically uncommon in the United States; incidence peaked around 1983, and a drastic reduction in the annual number of documented cases occurred from the 1980s through 2000,” the letter’s authors wrote. “However, since then, reports demonstrate a gradual increase in the incidence of leprosy in the United States. The number of reported cases has more than doubled in the southeastern states over the last decade.”
The state of Florida has previously made news for leprosy cases. Experts blamed armadillos in 2015 for the state’s higher-than-average leprosy infections.
In light of recent data, here is what you should know about the illness:
What is leprosy?
The ancient bacterial disease leprosy, now known as Hansen’s disease, damages the skin and nerves.
It happens when the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria attack the nerves, which can swell beneath the skin.
“This can cause the affected areas to lose the ability to sense touch and pain, which can lead to injuries, like cuts and burns. Usually, the affected skin changes color,” the CDC’s website explains.
In severe cases, the illness can cause disfigurement and the loss of fingers and toes.
Leprosy was once thought to be a highly contagious, fatal disease and the subject of biblical tales that portrayed it as a curse from God, but as our understanding of the malady has increased, we now know it is treatable.
Still, there is a stigma associated with the illness.
“Those suffering from it are isolated and discriminated against in many places where the disease is seen,” the CDC notes.
More than 200,000 new cases are recorded annually in more than 120 countries, according to the World Health Organization. The CDC estimates that roughly 150 Americans contract the disease each year.
Why does leprosy occur?
Leprosy usually spreads through prolonged close contact with an infected individual who is not receiving treatment.
There is no risk of infection from innocuous contact, such as shaking hands, hugging, or dining next to someone.
“It is not known exactly how Hansen’s disease spreads between people. Scientists currently think it may happen when a person with Hansen’s disease coughs or sneezes, and a healthy person breathes in the droplets containing the bacteria,” the organization’s website reads. “Prolonged, close contact with someone with untreated leprosy over many months is needed to catch the disease.”
Symptoms of leprosy
Because the bacteria grow slowly, symptoms of the disease take time to manifest. The CDC lists the following signs of leprosy on the skin:
- Discolored skin patches
- Skin growths
- 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
Symptoms of the nerves include:
- Numbness of affected areas of the skin
- Muscle weakness or paralysis
- Enlarged nerves
- Eye problems that may lead to blindness
If left untreated, advanced signs may develop, including:
- Paralysis and crippling of hands and feet
- Shortening of toes and fingers due to reabsorption
- Ulcers on the bottoms of the feet
- Blindness
- Nose disfigurement
Is there treatment available for leprosy?
A combination of two to three antibiotics is commonly used to treat Hansen’s illness.
“Treatment usually lasts between one to two years,” the CDC says. “The illness can be cured if treatment is completed as prescribed.”
Early detection is essential because, as the organization points out, while medication can heal the illness and stop it from growing worse, it cannot undo any nerve damage.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
