Leprosy cases on the rise: Here's what you should know about this infectious illness

Although medical science has advanced a lot, there are still an innumerable number of illness and infections that our healthcare system is challenged by. Just this year, health authorities have issued warning about flesh-eating bacteria being spread by mosquitoes, as well as reported cases of Tinea, a highly contagious fungal infection, as well as issued travel advisory over tick-borne encephalitis in France.

Now, as reported by Fox News, in a letter published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that though Leprosy has been historically uncommon in the US, cases have been on the rise particularly in the southeastern states over the past decade.

Leprosy cases on the rise in the USA

Leprosy is also known as Hansen’s disease. It is caused by slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae, which infects the body, affecting the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose (nasal mucosa).

The CDC in its piece in Emerging Infectious Diseases, suggests that based on the number of new leprosy cases, Leprosy might be endemic in the US state of Florida and clinicians should be alert to this. This means that the disease is now locally-acquired by infected people. But as per CDC, this is not a great cause for concern for the general public owing to the small number of cases.

Today, leprosy is easily treatable with antibiotics. But once upon a time, it was a highly feared disease, considered untreatable, and highly contagious. This used to lead to harrowing discrimination of leprosy patients.

Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital told Fox News,

Leprosy is a very misunderstood illness. It is nowhere near as contagious as many people think.

Even with the recent increase in cases in the United States, especially in Florida, leprosy remains very rare in the United States

However, if leprosy is left untreated, it can result in crippling of hands and feet, paralysis, and blindness.

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Leprosy: Travel advisory and treatment

150 to 250 people are reported to have the illness every year in the U.S. CDC has not issued a travel advisory for Florida, or any other US state, due to Hansen’s disease as of now.

As per the CDC, Hansen’s disease does not spread easily from person to person. You cannot get infected though casual contact such as hand-shake, or talking to someone. Leprosy spreads through prolonged and close contact with someone who is carrying the disease, without treatment.

Even then, 95% of all people are naturally immune to the bacteria that causes leprosy.

Dr. Jessica K. Fairley, director of Emory Hansen's Disease Program in Atlanta, Georgia, told Fox News Digital, symptoms of Hansen's disease include,

Common symptoms are a rash or skin lesions that develop over time and can vary in how they appear.

The hallmark of Hansen’s disease, which isn’t always present, is a patch of skin that is numb

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⋙ Another outbreak of a potentially fatal fungal infection causes alarm, here are the symptoms

Sources used:

CDC: ' Hansen's Disease'

Fox News: ' As leprosy cases rise in Florida, what you must know about the infectious disease'