Leprosy is largely viewed as an ailment of antiquity, but experts are warning of a resurgence making the condition a growing contemporary concern.
The age-old neglected tropical disease is prevalent in more than 120 countries, Knewz.com has learned, and cases are spreading in part of North America.
“Leprosy is beginning to occur regularly within parts of the southeastern United States,” Robert A. Schwartz, a professor and the head of dermatology at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, wrote in an article published by The Conversation on Wednesday, March 13.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, impacts various bodily systems including the nerves, skin, eyes, and nasal mucosa. It has been known to cause physical distortions like swelling and altered skin color, and if it goes untreated, can lead to severe nerve damage, the loss of fingers and toes, or blindness.
“Advanced cases of leprosy cause facial features resembling that of a lion in humans,” Schwartz explained.
While the illness has been historically uncommon in the U.S., the country has seen a gradual increase in cases since the year 2000, according to a study published last summer.
Over the past decade, the number of reported cases in the southeastern U.S. has more than doubled. Central Florida alone accounted for 81% of the state’s patients and almost 20% of the country’s in 2020, the study said.
Leprosy in the U.S. used to be primarily linked to international travel, but the researchers found that about 35% of new patients between 2015 and 2020 acquired the disease locally.
The condition is preventable, but continues to hit marginalized groups hardest, including migrants and impoverished populations, Schwartz explained.
About 150 people in the U.S. and 250,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with Hansen’s disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hansen’s disease stems from an infection caused by two bacteria: Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. These bacteria have a slow growth rate and symptoms can take 20 years to manifest.
“Early diagnosis and treatment usually prevent disability that can result from the disease, and people with Hansen’s disease can continue to work and lead an active life,” the CDC says, adding that once treatment has begun, patients are no longer contagious.
Early civilizations, lacking effective treatments, were plagued by the spread of leprosy beginning as early as the second millennium B.C.E., Schwartz said.
“Hansen’s disease was feared as a highly contagious, devastating disease, but now we know that it’s hard to spread and it’s easily treatable once recognized,” the CDC explains. “Still, a lot of stigma and prejudice remains about the disease, and those suffering from it are isolated and discriminated against in many places where the disease is seen.”
Modern-day risk factors include exposure to certain animals as well as visiting leprosy-endemic countries.
Since 2019, Brazil, India and Indonesia have each documented more than 10,000 new cases, according to the World Health Organization.
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Author: Marissa Papanek
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