В Великобритании обнаружен возбудитель проказы у красных белок, однако риск для людей остается минимальным

Grim killer medieval disease on the rise with cute animal species at risk in UK Leprosy is rising again worldwide with hotspots in Florida and parts of Europe - and UK experts have warned there is one adorable animal at risk here Medieval-era leprosy is making a worrying comeback across the globe. And in the UK, experts say there’s one “local” species affected - red squirrels. Health bodies have reported a post-pandemic rebound in detected cases globally, largely because active screening and routine healthcare checks restarted after COVID. Risk to the general public remains very low, but certain regions are seeing notable upticks. Most recently, in the US, Florida has become a national focal point, with cases hitting a modern record of 36 diagnoses in 2025. Central Florida accounts for a significant chunk of those numbers. In Europe, new case data submitted to the World Health Organisation shows reported cases rising from 18 in 2015 to 79 in 2024. India, Brazil and Indonesia still reportedly carry the biggest burden, accounting for nearly 80% of new cases worldwide. Leprosy is formally known as Hansen’s disease. It’s caused by a slow-growing bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae. It is not highly contagious and typically spreads through moisture droplets from the nose and mouth after prolonged, close contact with someone who has an untreated infection - not from casual contact like a handshake or sitting next to someone. Symptoms can include pale or reddish patches of skin that lose feeling, lumps on the skin and muscle weakness. The tricky part is timing: it can take five to 20 years after exposure for signs to appear. The good news is it’s completely curable with a routine course of antibiotics, and early treatment prevents permanent nerve damage or disability. However, it’s on the rise, particularly in Florida, because in the US, the nine-banded armadillo is known to naturally carry the bacteria, and touching the animals or soil around their burrows may pass it to humans, Florida Today reported. But in Florida, a growing number of patients report no armadillo contact and no international travel, raising fears the bacteria could be quietly present in the local outdoor environment. This could potentially affect people who spend long hours outside, such as landscapers. In the UK, the picture is different. The last known local, native case was recorded in 1798, according to the Dreadful Revival of Leprosy. Between 2015 and 2024, only 56 cases were diagnosed across the entire UK, and every one was linked to travel or extensive time spent in countries where leprosy is more common, as per Microbiology Society. UKHSA data also indicates there has been no confirmed person-to-person spread within the UK since 1954. Only one species in the UK is affected. Scientists have detected a strain of leprosy bacteria in British red squirrels, the BBC reported. However, there is zero evidence it has jumped from squirrels to humans in modern times. For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.