A recent study suggests that the dreaded disease leprosy, which plagued ancient civilizations, may have settled permanently in Florida.
The 54-year-old guy described by the authors was diagnosed with the condition but had no known risk factors and had never left Florida. Leprosy may now be endemic in the state, according to the researchers, because other people have also contracted the disease without evident cause.
Their article was published in the magazine Emerging Infectious Diseases.
In Florida, there isn’t a rising tide of leprosy yet. Infection rates peaked in the US in 1983 and then began to decline, but around 20 years ago they slowly started to rise once more. Less than 200 instances are reported in the US annually, and this number is stable.
The author continued, “Our work merely underscores that there appears to be this really intriguingly strong geographic predisposition for this quite unusual sickness.
According to a spokesman, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “does not believe there is a great concern to the American public.” The number of incidents “is very small.”
Why It Matters: If the disease is identified, it can be treated.
A slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae is the root cause of leprosy, commonly known as Hansen’s disease. A 95 percent genetic resistance to the bacteria exists in humans.
The most recent year for which there are national data is 2020, which saw 159 new cases. Florida, California, Louisiana, Hawaii, New York, and Texas are the states where new cases are recorded most frequently. 81 percent of the cases recorded in Florida come from Central Florida.
The bacteria are believed to be spread by close, prolonged contact with droplets from an infected patient’s lips and nose. People who come into contact with armadillos run the risk of contracting this bacteria.
If leprosy is discovered early enough, it can be treated with common antibiotics over the course of a year. Within a week, treatment can render individuals immune to infection.
However, if ignored, the bacteria can harm nerves and result in long-term problems like paralysis and blindness. The disease’s physical side effects can also cause the infected to be stigmatized and isolated for a long time.
Dr. Rajiv Nathoo, a dermatologist and the study’s main author, said, “We just wanted to bring to light the fact that this patient had never traveled outside of the state of Florida to those clinicians and physicians that are in the area.”
What It Looks Like: It may take years for symptoms to become apparent.
M. leprae can harm the upper respiratory system, eyes, skin, and peripheral nerves.
Small nodules under the skin or discolored, numb patches on the skin are how the disease first manifests. Early signs are readily confused with eczema or other skin disorders including psoriasis. Even more difficult to identify is the disease because symptoms may not appear for up to 20 years after exposure.
Without treatment, the bacteria gradually damage muscles and nerves, resulting in the distinctive deformities known as claw hands and hammer toes in the hands and feet.
Thousands of years ago, the illness was first described. Although it may seem like a thing of the past, the World Health Organization reports that every year, there are still about 200,000 new infections worldwide, with the majority occurring in Southeast Asia .
What Scientists Don’t Know: The methods used to acquire some cases.
Leprosy can also be caused by a different kind of bacteria, according to research. The bacteria that cause tuberculosis is a distant relative of both pathogens.
All of these bacterial species are difficult to culture in the lab, leaving numerous concerns regarding the spread and development of the illness unresolved.
People who have visited different parts of the world frequently developed new instances of leprosy. However, since 2015, locally acquired infections have made up more than one-third of the cases in the US.
According to the researchers, many new patients claim to have had no travel or interaction with armadillos, which would account for their infection.
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this article is accurate and true. Content should not be used as a substitute for consulting with a lawyer or other qualified advisor in topics of business, finances, law, or technology. It is only for informational or entertaining reasons.
