• Most (95%) of the human population is not susceptible to infection with M. leprae, the bacteria that causes Hansen’s disease (leprosy).
• Treatment with standard antibiotic drugs is very effective.
• Patients become noninfectious after taking only a few doses of medication and need not be isolated from family and friends.
• Diagnosis in the U.S. is often delayed because health care providers are unaware of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) and its symptoms.
• Early diagnosis and treatment prevents nerve involvement, the hallmark of Hansen’s disease (leprosy), and the disability it causes.
• Without nerve involvement, Hansen’s disease (leprosy) would be a minor skin disease.
• 225 new cases were reported in the U.S. in 2023 (the most recent year for which data are available).
• Most (140 or ~62%) of these new cases were reported in
  • Florida
  • Texas
  • New York
  • California
  • Arkansas
  • Louisiana
  • Hawaii

SOURCE: Health Resources & Services Administration