Florida records highest number of leprosy cases in 2025, with additional cases reported in 2026
The Florida Department of Health documented 36 Hansen's disease cases in 2025, the most on record, and 17 cases so far in 2026, with most infections occurring in central counties.
Florida health officials said the state logged 36 cases of Hansen's disease in 2025, surpassing the previous peak of 29 cases in 2015. Of those, 27 patients were believed to have contracted the infection within Florida, while one acquired it elsewhere in the United States, three were infected abroad, and the source remained unknown for five cases. Preliminary data released in mid-July show 17 additional cases in 2026, involving residents of Brevard, Charlotte, Duval, Highlands, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter and Volusia counties. > "Cases are assigned to the county where a patient lived when the disease was identified, regardless of where the person was exposed, became ill, was hospitalized or received a diagnosis," state officials explained.
Historical records indicate that central Florida counties, particularly Brevard, have reported the majority of cases in recent years. Brevard alone accounted for 20 of the 27 cases in 2020 and has consistently reported double-digit numbers since 2015. Volusia and Polk counties have also recorded multiple cases in the past two years.
The disease, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, progresses slowly and can take years to manifest symptoms such as skin patches, numbness, or eye problems. Transmission requires prolonged close contact with an untreated patient; casual contact does not spread the illness. While nine-banded armadillos can carry the bacteria, officials consider them an uncommon source, and not all patients report contact with armadillos. Researchers continue to study possible environmental reservoirs, including soil.
Hansen's disease remains rare in Florida, with Palm Beach County reporting only one case in each of 2023 and 2024. Overall, the numbers represent a very small fraction of the state's 23 million residents. The disease is treatable with a multi-drug antibiotic regimen lasting one to two years, though delayed treatment can lead to permanent nerve damage.
The live reportable-disease database used for the 2025 and 2026 figures is preliminary and may be revised as investigations continue. The department counts cases by the reporting date, not by symptom onset or exposure date, and the data do not indicate a single outbreak or common source for the recent increase.