This article about Leprosy (Hanson's Disease) endemic to Central Florida is interesting

I am a registered nurse.  This article about Leprosy - Hansen's Disease- in Florida is of interest because, when my family lived in the Philippines, we visited Tala, in Manilla (see below), and I participated in several humanitarian missions to deliver supplies there, because of my affiliation with relief groups on the Subic Bay Naval Base. This echo report is published in the Harvard Medical news (and in the Orlando Sentinel):

For most people in the US, leprosy is not a major health concern. In recent years, about 180 cases of leprosy have been diagnosed annually. Though this represents an uptick from fewer than 100 cases in 1999 and 2000, the disease remains rare in the US.

Worldwide, it's a different story: according to the World Health Organization, more than 200,000 cases in 120 countries are diagnosed each year. The highest numbers of cases are in Brazil, India, and Indonesia.

Has leprosy become common in Florida?  No. There have been about 20 cases per year in Florida since 2015. As is true nationally, this represents an increase from prior years.

But some experts speculate that leprosy may be endemic now in central Florida, where about 80% of the state's cases are diagnosed. Endemic means there are enough sources of infection (such as infected people or animals) in a particular area to allow the disease to spread, even if no new cases are brought in from elsewhere.

Since some people with infection have no risk factors for the disease, it's possible leprosy has become endemic there. But that remains unproven. 

Myth versus truth: Common misconceptions about leprosy

Misunderstanding fuels stigma and discrimination against people who have leprosy. Maybe you've heard some of these falsehoods.

The myth: Leprosy is extremely easy to spread. In the past, this myth led to isolation of people with leprosy in "leper colonies" that quarantined entire communities of people with the infection.

The facts: About 95% of people are naturally immune to leprosy. And, because spread of infection between people requires close and prolonged contact, it's not nearly as contagious as many other infections. So it's not readily spread by being in a room with an infected person, or by touch. And, within one week of treatment (see below-long term antibiotic therapy), a person with leprosy is no longer contagious. As a result, isolation from others is unnecessary.

The myth: Leprosy causes parts of the body, such as fingers or ears or the nose, to fall off. (When my family lived in the Philippines, I visited people with leprosy who lived and were being treated for the disease at the Tala -Manilla- comminity Central Luzon Sanitarium*. I was able to visit the ward where people who had a particular leprosy infection lived in wrapped gauze because their wounds would not heal.  Seeing them in this rare condition was quite difficult.  Also, contrary to this physician's report about loss of body party, I saw patients who had lost fingers to the disease, but the cause was probably the result of long term nerve damage, so the infected areas were probably amputated.)

The facts: Body parts do not fall off (Ahhh....wellll 😕😧❓ hmmm- probably true, if and when the infectious disease is caught, diagnosed and treated early). Sometimes, surgical amputations are needed to treat nonhealing wounds and infections, two complications of longstanding nerve damage related to leprosy.

The myth: There are no treatments for leprosy.

The facts: There are effective antibiotics for leprosy. To cure the infection, people may need to take a combination of different antibiotics for a year or more.

The bottom line: Some of the news coverage on the case of leprosy in Florida seems more dire than necessary. In fact, the risk of developing leprosy in central Florida, or elsewhere in the US, remains exceedingly low.

And it's highly unlikely leprosy will become the next pandemic. However, some experts predict that vulnerable populations in the US, such as homeless people living in close contact with poor hygiene and inadequate medical care, could experience outbreaks of leprosy in the future.

While risk seems low now, it's a good idea to keep leprosy in mind if you have unexplained rashes or nerve damage, especially if you live in a place where the disease is common or have had contact with an infected person. Otherwise, there's little reason to have leprosy on your short list of health concerns.

Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling.  About the Author




Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing. Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. … 

As of March 26, 2024, there were three cases of leprosy in Florida, each in a Central Florida county: Polk, Sumter, and Volusia.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a rare infectious disease that affects the skin and peripheral nervous system. While it's curable with (R.N. nurse note: long term) antibiotics, it's important to be aware that it's still being transmitted.

Here's some information about leprosy in Florida:  There have been about 20 cases per year in Florida since 2015. As is true nationally, this represents an increase from prior years. But some experts speculate that leprosy may be endemic now in central Florida, where about 80% of the state's cases are diagnosed.

* History

Founded in 1940 by the American colonial government to treat Hansen's Disease patients on the island of Luzon

Location:  130 hectares of land in the Tala district of Caloocan, Metro Manila

Current role: The main referral hospital for leprosy patients in the Philippines, and a training and research center for leprosy care and management