Leprosy in Florida: How do you know if you have the infection?

Leprosy cases have risen in Central Florida and researchers are warning the public about the reemergence of the infectious disease. Central Florida accounted for 81% of cases reported in the state in 2020.

Brevard County has seen 20 reported cases of Leprosy and doctors said they have no idea why the county is seeing so many cases. 

What is leprosy?

Commonly known as Leprosy, Hansen's Disease, is an infection caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Because these bacteria grow very slowly, it may take up to 20 years to develop signs of the infection. 

How do you get leprosy?

You can get leprosy from long-term exposure to leprosy or by making contact with an armadillo. 

What are the signs and symptoms of leprosy?

Symptoms of leprosy mainly affect the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes – the soft, moist areas inside the body's openings. 

Some of the skin symptoms of leprosy include: 

• Discolored patches of skin, usually flat, that may be numb and look faded (lighter than the skin around)
• Growth (nodules) on the skin
• Thick, stiff or dry
• Painless ulcers on the soles of the feet
• Painless swelling or lumps on the face or earlobes
• Loss of eyebrows or eyelashes

Some of the symptoms caused by damage to the nerves are: 

• Numbness of affected areas of the skin
• Muscle weakness or paralysis (especially in the hands and feet)
• Enlarged nerves (especially those around the elbow and knee and in the sides of the neck)
• Eye problems that may lead to blindness (when facial nerves are affected)

Symptoms caused by the disease in the mucous membranes are: 

• A stuffy nose
• Nosebleeds

What happens when leprosy goes untreated?

If left untreated, the signs of advanced leprosy are paralysis and crippling of hands and feet, shortening of toes and fingers due to reabsorption, chronic non-healing ulcers on the bottoms of the feet, blindness, loss of eyebrows, and nose disfigurement. 

The CDC said the loss of feelings or sensation can happen if infected with leprosy causing injuries such as burns to go unnoticed. 

How is leprosy diagnosed? 

Leprosy can be recognized by the appearance of patches of skin that look darker or lighter than a person's normal skin tone. The affected areas may be reddish, the CDC said. Loss of feeling in the skin patches is common. 

How is leprosy disease treated? 

Leprosy is treated with a combination of antibiotics that are used at the same time. 

Central Florida also seeing Rabies, malaria cases

Leprosy is not the only disease to make its rounds in Central Florida. 

A Rabies alert was issued for Marion County in July after three raccoons tested positive for the disease. Polk County also confirmed its third case of Rabies when a family dog in Lakeland fought with an aggressive raccoon on July 26. The owner shot and killed the raccoon which later tested positive for Rabies. 

Malaria has also sprung into action in parts of southwest Florida. Sarasota County documented a seventh case of malaria back in July adding to the five cases discovered in June, and one case from May. 

Since the report, Sarasota County officials have been using aircraft, trucks, and ground crews to apply insecticide to the area where the malaria cases were reported.