Florida has seen an increase in leprosy rates, but the risk of contracting the disease for travellers to the sunshine state is minimal, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
In an email to Global News, a spokesperson from the federal health department stated that leprosy is a rare disease and the risk to Canadian travellers visiting the United States is very low. The spokesperson added that leprosy does not spread through casual contact, and infection requires prolonged and close contact with an untreated leprosy-infected person.
PHAC mentioned that there are currently no specific precautions for Canadians travelling to Florida in relation to leprosy, but they will continue to closely monitor the situation.
This message follows a warning from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the potential endemic status of leprosy in Florida. The CDC advised travellers going to central Florida to be aware of the risk of transmission.
The CDC report stated, “Florida, USA, has witnessed an increased incidence of leprosy cases lacking traditional risk factors. Those trends, in addition to decreasing diagnoses in foreign-born persons, contribute to rising evidence that leprosy has become endemic in the southeastern United States.” Contact tracing for leprosy should include consideration of travel to Florida in any state.
According to PHAC, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It primarily affects the skin, nerves, and in severe cases, other organs. The disease is characterized by skin lesions, loss of sensation, and nerve damage.
Early detection of leprosy is crucial, as it can be cured with antibiotics.
While leprosy is rare in the U.S., there has been a gradual increase in cases since the early 2000s, with more than double the reported cases in the southeastern states over the last decade, according to the CDC.
PHAC stated that leprosy is not endemic to Canada, and cases diagnosed in Canada are acquired outside of the country. Between 2017 and 2021, Canada reported between one and twelve cases annually to the Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.
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