Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, remains a significant public health challenge in 2025, despite remarkable global progress. This year highlights historic achievements, alarming outbreaks, and renewed efforts to eliminate this ancient yet persistent disease.
Jordan’s Historic Achievement: First Country to Eliminate Leprosy
In a groundbreaking milestone, Jordan became the first country to receive WHO verification for eliminating leprosy. Over twenty years without indigenous cases reflect sustained control, robust health systems, and effective disease surveillance.
Key Factors Behind Jordan’s Success:
- Early case detection and timely treatment
- Free and accessible healthcare services
- Robust surveillance systems
- Overcoming stigma associated with leprosy
Jordan’s achievement serves as a global model for leprosy elimination.
Surge in Leprosy Cases | Florida Example
While countries like Jordan show progress, some regions are witnessing rising leprosy cases. Florida, USA, reported nearly double the number of leprosy cases in 2025 compared to 2024.
Causes:
- Wildlife reservoirs such as armadillos
- Locally acquired infections with unknown sources
This surge underlines the need for awareness campaigns, monitoring, and preventive measures even in historically low-incidence areas.
Persistent Global Burden of Leprosy
Despite a decline in worldwide prevalence, leprosy continues to affect millions, particularly in India, Brazil, and Indonesia. India alone reports ~100,000 new cases annually, representing nearly half of the global burden.
Ongoing Challenges:
- Early diagnosis and multidrug therapy (MDT)
- Research into vaccines like LepVax
- Combating poverty-related risk factors
- Ensuring healthcare access in remote regions
WHO and PAHO’s “Zero Leprosy” Strategy
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) aim to achieve “zero leprosy” by 2030.
Key Strategies:
- Intensified case detection
- Contact tracing with single-dose prophylaxis
- Free treatment and public education
- Integration of leprosy care into national health systems
Endemic countries and international partners are urged to fully adopt and fund these initiatives.
COVID-19 Impact and Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted leprosy control programs worldwide, reducing case detection temporarily. As health systems recover, leprosy cases are rising again, emphasizing the need to resume surveillance, community outreach, and early intervention.
Advances in Leprosy Research and Awareness
Scientific and medical innovations are improving leprosy prevention and management:
- LepVax vaccine development
- Single-dose post-exposure prophylaxis
- Improved diagnostic techniques
Public awareness campaigns, especially on World Leprosy Day, combat stigma, discrimination, and encourage community support for affected individuals.
What Is Leprosy?
Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae.
Key Facts:
- Affects nerves, skin, nasal lining, and upper respiratory tract
- Early treatment prevents disabilities
- Neglected tropical disease (NTD) with ~200,000 new cases reported annually in over 120 countries
- Most common in tropical and subtropical countries like India
Types of Leprosy
- Tuberculoid (Paucibacillary) Leprosy – Mild symptoms, few lesions, strong immune response.
- Lepromatous (Multibacillary) Leprosy – Severe symptoms, widespread lesions, high contagiousness, weak immune response.
- Borderline (Dimorphus) Leprosy – Intermediate symptoms, combining features of the above types.
Symptoms of Leprosy
- Red or pale skin patches with numbness
- Numbness or tingling in hands, feet, arms, and legs
- Painless wounds or burns
- Muscle weakness and swelling
- Thickened skin or enlarged nerves
- Advanced cases may cause paralysis, vision loss, disfigurement, or chronic ulcers
Incubation period: 3–5 years, sometimes up to 20 years, making infection tracking challenging.
Transmission and Treatment
Transmission:
- Spread via respiratory droplets during close and frequent contact with untreated cases
Treatment:
- Multidrug therapy (MDT) with antibiotics like dapsone, rifampin, and clofazimine
- Prevents antibiotic resistance
- Effective if started early
India’s Efforts to Eliminate Leprosy
- 1955: National Leprosy Control Programme launched
- 1970s: Multidrug therapy identified
- 1993–94: World Bank-supported National Leprosy Elimination Project
- 2005: India achieved elimination as a public health problem (<1 case per 10,000 population)
- 2017: SPARSH Leprosy Awareness Campaign launched
- 2018: Supreme Court directed awareness programs nationwide
- 2027 Target: Leprosy Mukt Bharat, ahead of SDG timeline
Conclusion
2025 reflects both remarkable achievements and persistent challenges in the fight against leprosy. Jordan’s elimination milestone inspires hope, while rising cases in Florida and ongoing prevalence in high-burden countries show the work still needed.
With WHO and PAHO’s “zero leprosy” strategy, ongoing research, and renewed global commitment, a world free of leprosy is within reach. Eliminating leprosy is not only a medical triumph but also a social victory against stigma and neglect.
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