Leprosy Cases Explode In Red State

Florida health officials are warning residents to steer clear of armadillos as the state continues to see a rise in leprosy cases.

Many infections have been linked to contact with the animals, which are known carriers of the bacteria that causes the disease. Officials say the vast majority of Florida’s recent cases have been concentrated in Central Florida.

The Florida Department of Health reported 17 leprosy cases statewide as of July 23, according to WFLA. About 81% of those infections have been reported in Volusia, Brevard, Lake, Orange and Seminole counties.

The increase follows a record-setting 2025, when Florida recorded 36 cases, the highest annual total since the state began tracking the disease in 1992. State data shows 26 of those infections were acquired in Florida, one originated elsewhere in the U.S., and two were contracted overseas. Officials could not determine where the remaining seven patients were exposed.

Also known as Hansen disease, leprosy is caused by the slow-growing bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. The illness often develops over many years, with symptoms sometimes taking up to 20 years to appear after exposure.

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Early signs can include skin lesions, lumps and ulcers, as well as the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes. The disease can also damage peripheral nerves, causing infected people to lose their sense of pain and touch, which increases the risk of serious cuts, burns and other injuries.

Although the disease has long carried a frightening reputation, federal health officials say it is difficult to spread between people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transmission generally requires prolonged, close contact with an infected person’s saliva or mucus from the mouth or nose.