It is one of the oldest diseases in the world, long associated with shame and uncleanliness.
Historical records of leprosy go back at least 4,000 years, probably originating in Africa or… Asia before reaching Europe as early as 300 BC.
For centuries, leprosy, which causes disfiguring, painful or discolored patches of skin, has ravaged entire cities in Europe and the Middle East, with many cultures shunning those who were sick because they believed the disease was a curse.
Today, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is rare in the US due to antibiotics and improvements in hygiene, affecting approximately 100 to 200 Americans each year.
But inside FloridaExperts warn of an unprecedented rise in leprosy, which may be linked to contaminated soil and animals.
If left untreated, it can lead to devastating nerve damage and blindness. However, prompt treatment with antibiotics can reverse the condition if caught early.
“Leprosy in the state of Florida is an ongoing, emerging infectious disease that we are increasingly recognizing,” said Dr. Norman Beatty, an infectious disease physician and associate professor of medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine, told the Daily Mail.
“Our job now as a team is to shed light on leprosy here in Florida because it is a curable disease. The sooner we identify a case of leprosy, the better off someone is.’
Leprosy causes deformed or colored spots on the skin. Eventually, patients may lose feeling in their limbs. Above are the hands of a leprosy patient in India
Leprosy is an infection caused by the extremely slow-growing bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis.
While about 200,000 people around the world, largely in developing areas, contract leprosy each year, only roughly 200 Americans become ill.
Florida last year reported 36 cases, an all-time high since reporting began in 1992. At least 26 of the cases were contracted within the state, the highest number of locally acquired cases in any U.S. state in the past decade.
Earlier this month, the state’s database reported 19 cases so far in 2026.
“When we look at the data over the last 20 years, we see an increasing number of cases,” Beatty said.
He notes that the culprit in Florida is the nine-banded armadillo, which is found in most parts of Florida and can harbor the bacteria that cause leprosy, as well as contaminated soil near armadillo burrows.
“We found that people who contracted leprosy here in Florida were exposed to both types of soil infected with the bacteria and people who have had direct contact with armadillos, either by handling or eating them,” he said.
Although experts long believed that leprosy was highly contagious from person to person, modern evidence shows that the disease cannot be easily transmitted between people unless they have close and prolonged contact with the saliva or mucus of an infected person.
Beatty estimates that only about five percent of people harboring the bacteria become ill from leprosy, and it can take up to 20 years after first contact for symptoms to appear.
He notes that most patients he sees are between 60 and 70 years old and have been living with the infection for one to five years or several decades.
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Should Florida take drastic action to control armadillos and stop the return of leprosy?
Leprosy in Florida is transmitted to humans through contact with the nine-banded armadillo
The above images released by the CDC in 2023 show a 54-year-old man who lived in Florida and had contracted leprosy. He developed lesions and rashes on his face, arms and legs
It is unclear why some people develop leprosy while the majority do not. “That’s the great mystery of leprosy,” Beatty told the Daily Mail.
‘As far as we currently know, there are some genetic predispositions that could cause someone to develop a different form of this disease, but for the most part we don’t fully understand who is at risk of developing leprosy.’
As the bacteria multiply, symptomatic patients develop discolored or lighter bumps on the skin, painless sores and swellings, and thick, dry skin. Over time, areas of discolored skin slowly become numb as the bacteria attack the peripheral nerves near the skin.
Dr. Norman Beatty (pictured above) of the University of Florida College of Medicine told the Daily Mail that leprosy is increasing in the state but can be cured with antibiotics
“The combination of having an abnormal skin lesion plus the development of decreased sensation at the site really points toward an investigation for leprosy,” Beatty said.
A skin biopsy using specific dyes is necessary to diagnose leprosy, and this specific requirement, Beatty notes, along with the rarity of leprosy, can contribute to many patients going undiagnosed for years.
Once discovered, leprosy is easily treated with antibiotics such as dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. Beatty notes that most patients take a combination of three antibiotics once a month for one to two years. They will also receive ongoing treatment to evaluate for possible complications, such as nerve damage.
“This is a curable disease,” Beatty said. ‘With the right treatment, a person can heal and move on with their life.’
To avoid contracting leprosy, Beatty is urging Florida residents to avoid all contact with nine-banded armadillos, including touching, hunting or eating them. People with armadillo burrows in their yards should also avoid touching the surrounding soil, especially if they have open wounds that the bacteria can enter.
“Awareness of this emerging infectious disease is important, but we also don’t want to sound the alarm,” Beatty said.
“Really, the goal is to demystify this disease and recognize its presence in our state, and to continue to research it so we can better understand how transmission occurs and why certain populations become infected.”
