200,000 new leprosy cases worldwide annually, recent US outbreaks in the Southeast, particularly Florida, unrelated to animal contact.

Leprosy cases are rising in the US, caused by infectious bacteria. Some 200,000 new cases are reported worldwide each year. In the US, leprosy has been present in the South for over a century, linked to contact with armadillos. Recent outbreaks in the Southeast, particularly Florida, have not been associated with animal exposure. The disease, also known as Hansen's disease, is avoidable and transmission mostly affects the vulnerable.

March 13, 2024
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