Leprosy may sound like a condition from a bygone era, but the disease — which also historically carries a strong social stigma — may be more prevalent in the U.S. than you might expect, a new report shows.
What is going on
A recently published research letter in a journal published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is evidence that leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, has become “endemic” or occurs regularly in the southeastern U.S., especially in central Florida, where reported cases have more than doubled in the past decade.
The letter’s authors note that about 34% of new cases in the US between 2015 and 2020 appeared to be locally acquired, and that several patients were not exposed to “traditional risk factors,” such as close and prolonged contact with someone who infected used to be. with leprosy, interaction with armadillos (which may carry the disease) or have traveled to an area where the disease is common.
Leprosy is an infection caused by bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. It manifests as lesions and dark or lighter patches of skin that may be reddish in color when inflamed, and nodules, especially on the earlobes and face. If left untreated, nerve damage can occur that can cause tingling and eventually paralysis of the hands and feet, loss of vision and eyebrows, and deformity of the nose as the nasal cartilage collapses.
Do I have to worry?
“The CDC has made it clear that because the risk of leprosy in the United States remains very low, and because most people do not develop the disease after exposure, this should not be a cause for widespread concern,” Dr. Jose Lucar, a contagious disease. physician at the George Washington University School of Medicine, Yahoo Life reports. “[The CDC] also noted that a travel warning is not necessary to the parts of the country where local cases of leprosy are being reported, including central Florida.”
This is why experts say you shouldn’t stress.
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Leprosy does not spread easily. Transmission is still not fully understood, although the disease is thought to spread mainly through respiratory droplets. But while diseases like flu or COVID-19 can be easily contracted through droplets, the bacteria responsible for leprosy grows so slowly that only extensive exposure will lead to infection. “Because leprosy reproduces so slowly, prolonged and close contact with untreated leprosy over several months is really necessary to contract the infection,” Lucar explains. “And we know that people do not get leprosy through casual contact, such as hugging, shaking hands or sitting next to someone who has the disease.”
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Most people have natural immunity against leprosy. The mycobacteria responsible for it are closely related to other bacteria, Dr. Nutan Gowda, a dermatologist at UMass Memorial Medical Center, told Yahoo News. “There are various mycobacteria in soil, water and air that we are exposed to every day without even realizing it. And that’s how we develop immunity.”
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Some people are more susceptible to infections than others. Lucar says genes may also play a role. “We know through a number of studies that there are genetic factors related to the immune system and response to infections that may make some people more susceptible to the infection than others,” he notes. “People who develop leprosy may therefore suffer from genes that make them more susceptible to infections.” But that applies to a relatively small percentage of the population, with the CDC saying more than 95% of people worldwide have natural immunity. About 150 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with leprosy each year, and even health care workers rarely contract the disease.
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Treatments are extremely effective. Leprosy is curable, especially with early diagnosis and treatment, which requires a combination of antibiotics. But although antibiotic therapy takes six months to two years to complete, a person is no longer contagious within days of starting treatment.
What can I do about it?
Although leprosy is not a major health threat, simple measures such as treating people who have the disease so they are not contagious and avoiding contact with armadillos (or wearing gloves and washing your hands if you do) contact with them) is important. steps, says Lucar.
But more broadly, Nutan, who worked and trained at a leprosy clinic in northern India, where the disease is endemic, points out that this news from Florida could also be a cautionary tale for the collective effort needed to combat global warming. combat as more diseases emerge. in unknown places.
“We have infections occurring in areas we have never seen before – not because of travel, but because the bacteria and viruses have new areas where they can thrive because of global warming,” says Nutan.
“You don’t usually see leprosy in temperate climates,” she adds. “We see it around the equator, where it is much warmer. But today we’re seeing bacterial diseases that we used to see more often in the warmer parts of the country in the Northeast, just because it’s so much warmer now. So does that play a role? I don’t think we thought about that.”
The most important takeaway
The researchers’ findings mean that doctors or public health authorities in the US can now consider Florida when conducting contact tracing for leprosy cases in the US. But it also highlights gaps in leprosy research in the US – especially regarding how the disease is spread.
“This essentially increases the need for further research into what other environmental sources may play a role in infection transmission,” Lucar says. “But this should not be a cause for public concern in general.”
