Health authorities in Florida have reported that three new cases of leprosy have been discovered in Volusia County over the past five months.  Physicians believe that two of the patients may have been infected by the disease from the local nine-banded armadillo, which were reported to be the main carriers of the bacteria in the United States.

Hansen's disease, more commonly known as leprosy, is an extremely rare condition caused by the bacteria mycobacterium lepra.  It is one of the oldest diseases on record, and while no longer the threat that it once was, it has yet to be eradicated and has seen a resurgence in many southern states in the U.S.

In ancient times, leprosy was a slow and painful death sentence that would affect the daily life of the individual.  People with leprosy were required to stay away from society as they were considered cursed by God and "unclean."  People suffering from leprosy were required to remain more than six feet away from people and up to 150 feet away when the wind was blowing.  They were also forbidden from getting close to their families and were considered less than human in society.

For thousands of years leprosy was incurable and caused pain and death in countless numbers world-wide.  However, with the invention of antibiotics, leprosy today does not condemn people to a slow and degrading death, but its treatment can last anywhere from six months to two years in order to completely cure.  Even today, it is estimated that between one and two million people are permanently disabled as a result of the bacteria.

A vast majority of people today are simply immune to the bacteria, but it can be transmitted through close contact or through droplets from the mouth and nose.  Anyone with leprosy is considered a carrier if he/she has not received any type of drugs for treatment.

It can take up to 20 years for leprosy to begin to show its symptoms in an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  In most cases, the disease affects the nerves, skin, eyes and respiratory tract.  In more advanced stages of the disease, tumor-like lumps can form on the body leading to disfigurement and even claw hands.

Approximately 100 new cases of leprosy are recorded each year in the United States alone with most cases occurring in areas of the south including Louisiana, Florida and Texas.  The CDC recommends that people avoid contact with armadillos that are known to be the main carriers of the disease in order to limit risk of exposure.