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Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the MagicA dangerous disease is on the rise in Florida, possibly exposing Disney World visitors traveling to the Sunshine State.
While Walt Disney World Resort is the Most Magical Place on Earth, the social and political environment in Florida has led many to consider that the Disney Resort in the Sunshine State is losing its magic. The latest development saw Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis introducing a strict policy that could affect thousands of Disney World cast members.
However, a recent report revealed that Florida is being struck by a concerning disease once again.
Related: Update: Disney Exposes Homeless Employees to DeSantis’ New Illegal Policy, Reports Weigh In
A recent Newsweek report revealed that, following an unusual increase in 2023, Leprosy is on the rise again in the United States, particularly in Florida, concerning disease specialists.
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year stated that there were 159 cases of Leprosy in America in 2020, around a fifth of them being reported in Florida. Of the Florida cases, 81% were found in Central Florida.
A study from the Emerging Pathogens Institute of the University of Florida revealed that the most affected area by this disease in 2023 was Titusville, roughly 45 minutes away from the Orlando area.
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The number of cases seen in Florida has led experts to fear that the disease is becoming endemic in the state. This essentially means that it has established a consistent presence within a particular population or geographic area, being regularly found at a relatively stable level.
“We currently do not know what is driving the reported increase of Leprosy cases in Florida. Studies are currently underway to determine how infections are being transmitted, i.e., between humans vs infections from animals to humans. People may become infected from other people with untreated leprosy or from the nine-banded armadillo, a natural host of the bacteria causing the disease,” said Francisca Mutapi, a professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity and co-director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh.
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While Leprosy — also known as Hansen’s disease — is not deadly, it can cause complications that could seriously harm your health if left untreated, including damage to the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and eyes, and physical deformities in more advanced stages of the disease.
Although Hansen’s disease is one of the oldest recorded diseases and was believed to be highly contagious and deadly, it is now known that treatment with multidrug therapy (MDT), which typically includes a combination of antibiotics such as dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine, is very effective.
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Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent complications and reduce disease transmission. Common symptoms include skin lesions, thickened skin, nodules and lesions that are reddish or lighter in color than the rest of the skin.
Norman Beatty, M.D., an assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine, urges residents of the Sunshine State in particular to pay attention to any symptoms like these. “It is important to be aware that we have Leprosy being locally transmitted here in our state, so people know to report any symptoms to their doctor,” Beatty said.
Were you aware of this spreading disease? Will you take any additional precautions when visiting Florida? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below!