published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 2020 saw 159 new cases of the medieval disease in the US.
Almost a fifth of those cases came from central Florida, suggesting the bug is becoming endemic in the southeastern states.
Instead, catching the bug requires prolonged close contact with someone who has had untreated leprosy over many months, according to the CDC. Another challenge with leprosy is sufferers can take 20 years to develop symptoms like pale, numb blotches, rashes, ulcers and lesions.The CDC cited a recent case of leprosy in a 54-year-old man who sought treatment for painful lesions on his face and body.
About 34 per cent of new cases between 2015 and 2020 didn’t have those traditional risk factors, according to the research letter. Symptoms of leprosy include patches of discoloured skin, numbness, muscle weakness, eye problems, a blocked nose and nosebleeds and ulcers on the soles of the feet.