Why Florida Leprosy Cases Are on the Rise

Cases of leprosy, a long-lasting infection caused by bacteria, are up in Florida-and experts are saying armadillos are to blame.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is telling Floridians to avoid armadillos after a rise in leprosy cases. The disease can be spread through saliva and the most recent case occurred three weeks ago.

Some armadillos in the southern United States are naturally infected with leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease.

Armadillos aren’t native to Florida, but the cat-sized mammals are now common throughout the state, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Associated Press reported today that Dr. Sunil Joshi, president of the Duval County Medical Society, said each case this year has involved people who were in direct contact with armadillos.

The National Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP) notes that the risk of transmission from animals to humans is low, but armadillos are wild animals and should be treated as such, with all proper precautions.

Florida typically sees 10 cases of leprosy a year. The most of the human population isn’t susceptible to the disease, and fewer than 300 new cases were reported in the U.S.in 2010. It’s a bacterial infection that can affect the nerves and damage the skin.

But the CDC reports that as many as 2 million people have been permanently disabled by the disease worldwide.