New analysis shows that the number of leprosy cases in the U.S. has doubled during the past decade, with one-fifth of all U.S. cases occurring in central Florida.
Aug. 1, 2023 – The skin and nervous system disease leprosy is now considered endemic in the southeastern United States, according to a new study published by the CDC.and can cause blindness and the crippling of the hands and feet. The new analysis shows that the number of leprosy cases in the U.S. has doubled during the past decade, with one-fifth of all U.S. cases occurring in central Florida. There were 159 cases nationwide in 2020.
Previously, health experts attributed most U.S. cases to international travel or to contact with armadillos. But this latest study showed that many recent cases in the eastern U.S., including Georgia and central Florida, could not be linked to animals or international travel.. Nevertheless, the researchers wrote in this study that medical providers should be on alert for the disease when treating people who have traveled to central Florida.
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