In the U.S., a 4,000‑year‑old disease has returned.

The rise in cases of the long‑rarely seen leprosy in Florida has alarmed health officials. Experts noting that the infection, also known as Hansen's disease, is being detected more and more in the state, suggest that the cases may be linked to armadillos and the soil in the areas where those animals live.

Thanks to the widespread use of antibiotics and improved hygiene, leprosy remains one of the rare diseases in the United States. Each year, roughly 100 to 200 people nationwide receive a diagnosis of leprosy. Recent data from Florida, however, show that the disease has spread noticeably in the state.

The number of cases has reached a record high.

Florida recorded 36 leprosy cases last year. That figure was the highest annual count reported in the state since records began in 1992.

At least 26 of the cases were reported to have spread within Florida. That number was said to be the highest local transmission count recorded in any U.S. state in the past decade.

According to Florida’s health database, 19 additional cases were identified in the state's early months of 2026. The continued rise in cases accelerated research into the disease’s local transmission sources.

It may be linked to armadillos

Dr. Norman Beatty, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Florida College of Medicine, said leprosy has begun to be seen more frequently in the state as a "developing infectious disease".

According to experts, a significant portion of cases in Florida may be linked to nine‑banded armadillos or soil contaminated with the bacteria that cause the disease. Armadillos can carry the bacteria that cause leprosy.

Touching, hunting, or consuming these animals can pose a risk of infection. Contact with soil around armadillo burrows also poses a risk, especially for people with open wounds on their bodies.

It does not spread easily from person to person

Leprosy is caused by the extremely slow‑growing bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. The disease does not transmit easily from person to person.

Transmission typically requires prolonged, close contact with an untreated patient. Repeated, prolonged exposure to the infected person's respiratory secretions is considered one of the main routes of spread.

Because symptoms can take years to appear, pinpointing the source of infection becomes more difficult. If the disease is not diagnosed early and treated with appropriate antibiotics, it can cause permanent damage to nerves, skin, eyes, and limbs.

A call from experts

Health experts advise avoiding direct contact with these animals, especially in areas where armadillos are densely populated. They note that people working with soil should wear gloves, cover open wounds, and observe hygiene rules after contact.

If skin lesions persist for a long time, or if numbness, tingling, or non‑healing wounds appear, seeking medical care is recommended.

Developments in Florida have once again shown that leprosy, known for millennia and treatable with modern drugs, has not been eradicated. Officials are continuing efforts to identify the source of the uptick and bring local transmission under control.