“The number of global leprosy cases in 2024 was 5.5 percent lower than in 2023 and 19 percent lower than in 2014,” reports The Doomslayer.
The World Health Organization notes that “During 2024, a total of 172,717 new cases were reported globally, corresponding to a rate of new case detection of 21.1 per million population.”
Most of the cases — 124,295 — were detected in southeast Asia. Most of the remaining cases were in Africa and South America.
Wikipedia explains:
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis.[4][7] Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes.[4] This nerve damage may result in a lack of ability to feel pain, which can lead to the loss of parts of a person’s extremities from repeated injuries or infection through unnoticed wounds.[3] An infected person may also experience muscle weakness and poor eyesight.[3] Leprosy symptoms may begin within one year or may take 20 years or more to occur.[4]
Leprosy is spread between people, although extensive contact is necessary.[3][8] Leprosy has a low pathogenicity, and 95% of people who contract or who are exposed to M. leprae do not develop the disease.[9] Spread is likely through a cough or contact with fluid from the nose of a person infected by leprosy.[8][9] Genetic factors and immune function play a role in how easily a person catches the disease.[9][10] Leprosy does not spread during pregnancy to the unborn child or through sexual contact.[8] Leprosy occurs more commonly among people living in poverty.[3] There are two main types of the disease – paucibacillary and multibacillary, which differ in the number of bacteria present.[3] A person with paucibacillary disease has five or fewer poorly pigmented, numb skin patches, while a person with multibacillary disease has more than five skin patches.[3] The diagnosis is confirmed by finding acid-fast bacilli in a biopsy of the skin.[3]
Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy.[4] Treatment of paucibacillary leprosy is with the medications dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine for six months.[9] Treatment for multibacillary leprosy uses the same medications for 12 months.[9] Several other antibiotics may also be used.[3] These treatments are provided free of charge by the World Health Organization.[4]
