Florida's Leprosy Surge Is Being Linked to a Common Backyard Animal

A Disease From the Past Is Making a Modern Comeback

Cases of leprosy are rising in Florida, with officials working to understand what's behind the spread of the rare 4,000-year-old bacterial infection. While many Americans associate leprosy with ancient history or far-off regions of the world, leprosy is considered rare in the U.S., and most Americans catch the disease while traveling abroad. But that pattern is shifting — and Florida is at the center of the change.

As of July 23, Florida's Department of Health reported 17 cases statewide, with 81 percent in Central Florida. The heaviest concentration of cases has been reported in Volusia, Brevard, Lake, Orange, and Seminole counties. Last year, Florida had 36 cases, a record high since reporting began in 1992. Health officials say more Florida patients are being diagnosed without travel to countries where leprosy is more common — a sign that local transmission is becoming a growing concern.

The Surprising Culprit: Armadillos

State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo pointed to a possible connection with one of Florida's more unusual residents: the nine-banded armadillo. Armadillos are known to carry the bacteria that causes leprosy and are considered one possible source of infection. Researchers have long identified armadillos as carriers of Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium behind the disease, and a 2011 genomic study found that many southern U.S. human cases and armadillos shared essentially matching strains.

This invasive species lives underground. They can pass the bacteria to humans when people touch soil around their burrows. People can also be exposed more directly by holding armadillos. The good news? Health officials note that "the risk is very low and most people who come into contact with armadillos are unlikely to get leprosy." The CDC says around 95% of people have natural immunity to it.

What the Disease Actually Does to the Body

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, can impact a person's nerves, muscles, skin, eyes, and respiratory tract, causing large bumps all over the skin and leading to paralysis and blindness. It can also affect the peripheral nerves, which link the brain and spinal cord to the skin, muscles, and internal organs. This can cause an infected person to lose their sense of touch and pain, meaning they are at an increased likelihood of suffering cuts and burns.

A major concern is delayed diagnosis. A person may not see symptoms for years, or even decades, and the illness is often mistaken for something else at first. That delay can increase the risk of nerve damage, even though standard treatment can stop the infection and prevent disability when started early. Leprosy can be cured if caught and treated early. A patient would have to go through multi-drug therapy consisting of a combination of antibiotics. Once treatment begins, the patient is no longer considered infectious.

How to Protect Yourself

The basic public health advice is to avoid armadillos altogether — including not handling, skinning, or eating them. If contact cannot be avoided, officials recommend wearing gloves and cleaning any exposed skin afterward. People should also avoid contact with anyone who may be infected, and those who have been in close contact with a potentially infected person should seek medical care for a blood or nerve test.

Officials recommend seeking medical care if persistent skin lesions, numbness, or other unusual symptoms develop, particularly after prolonged exposure to known risk factors. Those most at risk are the immunocompromised, as well as people who are in areas where leprosy has historically spread, including the South and Southeast. With Florida's armadillo population showing no signs of shrinking, and local transmission on the rise, awareness and early action remain the most powerful tools residents have against a disease that most people never expected to worry about at home.