Several new-case patients in central Florida demonstrated no clear evidence of zoonotic exposure or traditionally known risk factors.Central Florida alone accounted for nearly 20% of the total number of cases reported nationally.80% of cases in Florida were in central Florida.Florida is among the top reporting states for cases of leprosy.About the Florida leprosy outbreakĪccording to the report, Florida may represent an endemic location for leprosy and recommends that physicians consider leprosy in the appropriate clinical context in patients who have traveled to the area, even in the absence of other risk factors. But the new report shows that about 34% of the reported cases between 20 were locally acquired. Leprosy, scientifically known as Hansen's disease, has never been common in the U.S., with most cases previously involving people who immigrated from leprosy-endemic areas. Nearly 70% of these new cases were reported in Florida, California, Louisiana, Hawaii, New York and Texas. Citing data from the National Hansen’s Disease Program, the report says there were 159 new cases reported in the U.S. The number of reported leprosy cases across the country has doubled over the past decade, according to the report. point to the possibility of the disease becoming endemic to the region, and a high concentration of those cases were reported in central Florida.Īccording to a recently published research letter published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the "Emerging Infectious Diseases journal", Florida is witnessing an increase in leprosy cases lacking traditional risk factors and travel to Florida should be considered when conducting leprosy contact tracing in any state. Rising cases of leprosy in the Southeast U.S.
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