Leprosy Cases On Rise In FL, Could Be Caused By Common Animal, Experts Say

A 4,000-year-old disease is on the rise this year in Florida, after a record number of cases were reported in the state in 2025, according to reports. And a common animal found across the state could be behind its spread.

The state saw 36 cases of Hansen’s disease, commonly called leprosy, last year, the highest number recorded in a single year in the Florida Department of Health’s modern reportable disease database, which began in 1992.

Before this, the highest number of leprosy cases, 29, was recorded in 2015, data shows.

So far in 2026, there have been 17 leprosy cases confirmed between Jan. 1 and July 25, the last date the database was updated.

Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae that primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes and the lining of the nose.

Charlotte, Miami-Dade and Volusia counties have each recorded two cases, the database shows.

Meanwhile, one case each has been confirmed in Brevard, Duval, Highlands, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Seminole, St. Johns and Sumter counties.

While the disease was once feared as highly contagious, it’s actually difficult to spread and is completely curable with a combination of antibiotics, the U.S. Centers for Disease Contrl and Prevention said. Untreated cases can lead to permanent nerve damage, numbness and disability, but early diagnosis and treatment can prevent most complications.

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Hansen's disease is rare in the United States, with up to about 225 cases diagnosed each year, the CDC said.

Most U.S. cases are linked to exposure in countries where the disease is more common, though some infections have been associated with contact with infected armadillos in the South.

In Florida’s cases reported this year, eight were acquired in the state, three were acquired outside the U.S. and one was acquired in another state, according to FDOH data. It’s unknown how five cases were acquired.

The agency emphasizes that the disease does not spread through casual contact, such as shaking hands, hugging or sharing meals, and that prolonged, close contact with an untreated person is typically required for transmission, the CDC said.

Some experts think armadillos are the cause of the disease’s spread in Florida.

Dr. Norman Beatty, an associate professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine, told News 6 that he’s seen a rise in patients who have had contact with armadillos or areas where the animal had been.

“I have found patients coming who have either directly held an armadillo … or have also just manipulated the soil, the armadillos in their garden and burrows into their house, things like that,” he said.

He warned against touching the animal, alive or dead, or ingesting it.

Beatty also told WUSF that there could be even more unconfirmed cases.

“We have a clinic here in Gainesville focused on leprosy, and we are identifying new cases each month that have otherwise been either misdiagnosed or they've been having signs and symptoms for years,” he said.

Dr. Sally Alrabaa, professor of infectious disease at the University of South Florida, also spoke with WUSF about the illness.

“Because it's rare and because it mimics so many other skin conditions, the diagnosis can be missed,” she said.

Recognizing symptoms can help obtain early and accurate diagnosis, health officials.

These are common symptoms of leprosy, according to the health department:

• Discolored or lighter patches of skin
• Nodules on the skin
• Thick, stiff, or dry skin
• Painless ulcers on the soles of feet
• Painless swelling or lumps on the face or earlobes
• Loss of eyebrows or eyelashes
• Numbness of affected skin areas
• Muscle weakness or paralysis, especially in the hands and feet
• Enlarged nerves, usually around the elbows, knees, and side of the neck
• Eye problems that may lead to blindness

Those who think they have leprosy should make an appointment with a primary care physician or a skin specialist, and be prepared to share their history of armadillo or soil contact.