Leprosy remains rare in the United States, with the CDC saying only up to about 225 cases are identified nationally each year. In Florida, however, state surveillance data and physicians tracking the disease say reported Hansen’s disease cases have risen in recent years, especially in central and north Florida. Doctors also say the illness can be difficult to catch early because symptoms may not appear until years after exposure.
Florida reports a higher recent case count
Florida health data show 17 reported Hansen’s disease cases as of July 18, 2026, after 36 cases in 2025, 20 in 2024, 23 in 2023 and eight in 2022, according to the Florida Department of Health’s surveillance dashboard and figures cited by WUSF. Those totals have made the recent increase one of the clearest year-to-year shifts in the state’s reportable disease data. The Florida Department of Health says its counts are based on the date a case was reported to the state Bureau of Epidemiology.
Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy, is caused by the slow-growing bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, according to the Florida Department of Health. The agency says the disease primarily affects the skin, nerves and mucous membranes, and that treatment typically lasts one to two years with antibiotics. State health officials also note that the disease is completely curable when treatment is completed as prescribed.
The official statewide tally for 2026 is still incomplete because new cases can continue to be reported later in the year. WUSF reported on July 27 that University of Florida infectious disease physician Dr. Norman Beatty expects this year’s total to rise as additional cases are identified and entered into surveillance data. That means the July count is a snapshot of reported cases, not a final annual total.
The available data confirm that Florida has seen more reported cases in the past several years, but the full geographic pattern is still limited by what has been publicly released. State dashboards show county-level reporting, and recent local reporting has identified cases in multiple counties, including parts of central Florida, but the state has not published a single narrative update laying out every exposure source for each 2026 case. Public records also do not establish that every recent infection was acquired in the same year it was reported.
That timing matters because the CDC says signs of leprosy may take up to 20 years to appear after contact with the bacteria. Symptoms can include lighter or discolored skin patches, numbness, enlarged nerves, muscle weakness, nose symptoms and, in untreated cases, permanent complications. Because the disease develops slowly, physicians say cases diagnosed now may reflect exposures that happened years earlier.
Florida has drawn national attention before on this issue. A 2023 CDC paper in Emerging Infectious Diseases said central Florida accounted for 81% of the cases reported in Florida in the period reviewed and nearly one-fifth of nationally reported cases, adding to evidence that the disease may be endemic in parts of the state. That paper focused on central Florida, but it did not mean every region of the state had the same level of risk.
Doctors and public health officials say the recent rise in reported cases does not necessarily mean the disease has suddenly become widespread. Beatty told WUSF that increased awareness among physicians and more recognition of skin and nerve symptoms likely explain part of the rise in reported cases. He said his Gainesville clinic is identifying new cases in people who were previously misdiagnosed or had symptoms for years before getting the correct diagnosis.
The Florida Department of Health says about 95% of people have natural immunity to Hansen’s disease, and transmission usually requires prolonged close contact with an untreated infected person. The agency also says infected nine-banded armadillos may be an uncommon source of infection, and that the bacteria may survive temporarily in soil. State guidance recommends avoiding direct contact with armadillos, carcasses and disturbed soil in areas where the animals burrow.
For Florida residents, the practical takeaway is that Hansen’s disease remains uncommon but recognizable and treatable. Doctors say persistent skin lesions with numbness, especially when paired with possible armadillo or environmental exposure, are among the signs that can help clinicians consider the diagnosis earlier. The current trend in Florida is being watched closely by state health authorities and university researchers as 2026 case reporting continues.