According to a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it appears that leprosy could become endemic in this state, as malaria is in other parts of the planet.
There were 159 new cases reported in the US in 2020, the CDC said in a recently published infectious disease research letter, citing data from the National Hansen’s Disease Program. gismeteo.ro
Nearly 70 percent of these new cases were reported in Florida, California, Louisiana, Hawaii, New York and Texas.
The CDC recommended that tourist visits to Florida be taken into account when conducting contact tracing for leprosy in any state.
Leprosy is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and causes leg ulcers, skin discoloration, swelling, nosebleeds, vision and nervous system problems. The disease progresses slowly and sometimes years can pass before symptoms appear.
Without treatment, leprosy can lead to extensive CNS disease, non-healing wounds, and even blindness. But unlike in ancient times, when people with leprosy were considered highly contagious and were shunned in society, today it is difficult to contract leprosy. It takes close contact with an infected person for several months, and even then, over 95% of people are immune to this disease due to natural immunity.
That’s why the Florida epidemic is so unusual.
According to experts, the reason could be climate change: due to warming temperatures, dangerous bacteria can spread in soil, water and vegetation.
2023-08-23 23:00:32
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