Leprosy Cases on the Rise in Florida: CDC Alert

Florida is among the top states in the US with the most new leprosy cases, with Central Florida potentially becoming an endemic area, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Leprosy, a disease often associated with biblical times, is still present and can cause pigmented lesions on the skin or disfiguring nodular lesions on the face and hands. The primary mode of transmission is through physical contact with infected armadillos, although person-to-person transmission is rare in the US. Antibiotics are effective in treating leprosy.