Leprosy is spreading in Florida: you can get it from people and armadillos

Leprosy is spreading throughout the United States, especially in Florida. Experts blame armadillos for the increase in disease incidence, reports Newsweek.

According to the World Health Organization, about 120 cases of the disease are recorded annually in 200 countries, which often occur after contact with armadillos.

In the United States, infections across the country have more than doubled over the past decade, both among people who have been exposed to armadillos and among those who have not.

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According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 2020 new cases of leprosy in the United States in 159, and 20% of all cases in the United States live in Florida. At the same time, in Florida, it is mainly residents of the central districts of the state who are affected.

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Cases in the southeastern states have nearly doubled over the past decade, according to the report.

“In Florida, 2002 cases of leprosy were reported annually from 2014 to 10. In 2015, this number increased to 29. In 2023, there were 15 new cases,” stated Francis Mutapi, professor of global infections and immunity at the Global Health Academy.

Symptoms of the disease

Leprosy, known as leprosy or Hansen's disease, is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. It is one of the oldest recorded diseases that has infected people for thousands of years. Leprosy primarily affects the skin, mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract and eyes. The affected areas of the skin during leprosy may be lighter or darker than its healthy areas. In affected areas, the skin loses sensitivity.

Other symptoms include numbness or weakness of the arms and legs, damage to peripheral nerve trunks, and in severe cases, disability is possible.

Symptoms can take up to 20 years to appear. Deaths are quite rare, but complications associated with the disease are still possible, especially if it is not treated. These complications include secondary infections leading to disability.

“We don't know what is causing the increase in leprosy cases in Florida. Research is currently being conducted to determine how infections are transmitted. People can become infected from other people or from armadillos, which carry the bacteria that causes the disease,” Mutapi said.

The only known route of transmission between animals and humans is from armadillos, and interactions with armadillos are often associated with cases of leprosy. However, many people become infected with leprosy bacteria from other people or even without interacting with infected people. This puzzles researchers.

"In addition to humans, M. leprae is known to infect armadillos, red squirrels in the UK, and chimpanzees in the West African countries of Guinea-Bissau and Côte d'Ivoire," said John Stewart Spencer, an assistant professor and leprosy researcher at Colorado State University.

“It is also likely that M. leprae is able to survive for months or years in the soil and water inside the amoeba. The amoeba could serve as another source of infection for people, for example in Florida,” he said.

The number of infections in Florida has experts concerned the disease is becoming endemic in the state. That is, leprosy has become persistently present in a particular population or geographic area and is regularly detected at a relatively stable level.

Terrible disease

Leprosy has a long, gruesome history, largely due to the effect it can have on the victim's appearance. Until the mid-1900s, treatment was not available, so the disease could progress to the point of causing severe physical deformities, particularly disfigurement of the arms and legs, and changes in the appearance of the face and nose. These symptoms created such fear of infection that those with leprosy often found themselves socially isolated.

Leprosy is spread through airborne transmission, often through close and prolonged contact with people with active disease.

“Genetics plays a key role in susceptibility or resistance. It is estimated that more than 90% of all people on the planet have natural immunity to mycobacterial infections, including tuberculosis, leprosy and non-tuberculous mycobacteria,” Spencer explained.

Treatment

Leprosy is treatable with multidrug therapy (MDT). This is usually a combination of antibiotics, such as dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine.

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Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to prevent complications. With timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, the vast majority of leprosy can be cured. Deaths directly attributable to this disease are now, fortunately, relatively rare.

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