fyi
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is rarely seen in the United States, but cases continue to emerge in Los Angeles County, a new report says.
Most patients were Latino, originating from Mexico, and they experienced a median delay in diagnosis
of more than three years, the team reports JAMA Dermatology, online August 7.
Supplemental News Source:
https://www.livescience.com/56057-leprosy-california.html
"In 2014, there were 175 new cases of Hansen's disease diagnosed in the United States,
and nearly three-quarters of these cases were reported in seven states:
Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York and Texas,
according to the U.S. National Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) Program.
In addition, a sizable number of the people who have Hansen's disease in the United States
(about 60 percent) were born in another country, Adalja said,
and so it's possible they contracted the disease in another country, but this is not certain."
"There's currently not enough information provided about these two suspected cases (in Los Angelos)
to know where they might have originated, (Dr.)Adalja said.
But armadillos in the United States are known to harbor the bacteria that cause the disease,
and it's possible for people to become infected through contact with the animals,
Adalja said, although the risk of this is low."
Posting of this news in not meant to alarm, but, rather to inform that a medical issue exists.
H/T to Whenifhow !