Leprosy could be endemic in the US state of Florida, a new report has found.
Officially called Hansen’s disease, leprosy is a type of bacterial infection that targets the nervous system and causes swelling under the skin.
A new report, published in the US-based Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, found cases in the southwest of America have doubled in the last decade.
Central Florida has a disproportionate share of cases, indicating it could be endemic there, meaning the disease has a consistent presence in the region’s population, rather than occurring in one-off outbreaks.
The report said: “According to the National Hansen’s Disease Program, 159 new cases were reported in the United States in 2020; Florida was among the top reporting states.
“Central Florida, in particular, accounted for 81% of cases reported in Florida and almost one-fifth of nationally reported cases.”
In a particular case highlighted by the report, a 54-year-old landscaper who did not have any known contact with infected animals or people, and had not traveled to countries where the condition is typically found, had contracted the disease.
There have been 15 reported cases of leprosy in Florida in 2023, with the majority in Brevard County, NBC News reports.
