Leprosy cases on the rise in Florida. Should travellers be concerned?

globalnews.ca:

Amidst a concerning rise in leprosy cases across Florida, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning saying the disease may be on the path to becoming endemic in the region.

Travellers heading to the southeastern region of the United States, specifically central Florida, should be mindful of the potential risk of transmission, the CDC stated.

“Florida, USA, has witnessed an increased incidence of leprosy cases lacking traditional risk factors,” the CDC said in a report published on Monday. “Those trends, in addition to decreasing diagnoses in foreign-born persons, contribute to rising evidence that leprosy has become endemic in the southeastern United States.

“Travel to Florida should be considered when conducting leprosy contact tracing in any state.”

In 2020, 159 new cases of leprosy were reported in the U.S., according to the country’s National Hansen’s Disease Program. Florida was among the top reporting states. And Central Florida accounted for 81 per cent of cases in the state. That makes up one-fifth of reported cases in the entire country.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is an age-old infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and nerves.

These bacteria are very slow growing and often may take up to 20 years to manifest after initial infection, according to the CDC. The bacteria attack the nerves, which can become swollen under the skin and cause the affected areas to lose the ability to sense touch and pain. If left untreated, it can also result in paralysis of the hands and feet.

Leprosy is not highly contagious and although it’s not exactly known how it transmits between people, the CDC said it may happen when an infected person