Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, Hanseniasis or HD, is a chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It primarily affects the skin and superficial nerves, but it can also involve the nose, eyes, throat, and testicles.

While leprosy is more common in parts of tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa, Central and South America, some Pacific countries, and certain regions of the southern United States, it is very rare in Michigan and the Grand Rapids area. With modern treatment available through major health systems like Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health, leprosy is now curable.

If you live in Grand Rapids, MI and are concerned about leprosy—especially after travel to areas where it is more common—local infectious disease specialists can evaluate and treat you.

How Common Is Leprosy in Grand Rapids, MI?

In the United States, leprosy is rare, and it is even rarer in West Michigan, including Grand Rapids and Kent County. Most cases are linked to:

  • Travel or long-term residence in countries where leprosy is more common
  • Close, long-term contact with someone who has untreated leprosy

Local public health agencies such as the Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health work closely with hospitals to track and manage any rare infectious disease cases, including Hansen’s disease.

Main Symptoms of Leprosy

Skin Lesions: The Most Common Sign

The primary symptom of leprosy is skin lesions. These may appear as:

  • Pale, reddish, or darker patches on the skin
  • Areas of skin that are numb or have reduced sensation
  • Lesions that do not heal or improve over time
  • Thickened or dry skin in affected areas

Because Michigan winters are cold and dry, people in Grand Rapids may already experience dry, cracked skin. However, leprosy-related skin changes are usually persistent, often numb, and do not improve with moisturizers or typical skin care.

If you notice numb patches of skin or unusual lesions that do not heal, contact your primary care provider at Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health for evaluation.

How Leprosy Affects the Nervous System

Leprosy does not affect the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). Instead, it targets the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which includes sensory, motor, and autonomic nerves.

Sensory Nerve Damage

When sensory nerves are damaged:

  • You may not feel pain, heat, or touch in certain areas
  • Hands and feet become vulnerable to burns, cuts, and injuries
  • Repeated, unnoticed injuries can lead to infection, deformity, and, in severe cases, loss of fingers or toes

This is especially important in Grand Rapids winters, when:

  • Frostbite risk increases with extreme cold
  • People with reduced sensation may not notice cold-related injury to fingers and toes

Eye Nerve Damage

When leprosy affects the nerves around the eyes:

  • You may not blink properly
  • You may not feel irritation from dust, wind, or debris
  • Over time, this can lead to eye damage and possible blindness if not treated

Dry, windy winter conditions in West Michigan can worsen eye irritation, so anyone with eye symptoms and a history of travel to endemic areas should be evaluated promptly.

Motor Nerve Damage

Damage to motor nerves can cause weakness or paralysis, leading to:

  • “Dropped foot” (difficulty lifting the front of the foot)
  • “Dropped wrist”
  • “Clawed hand” (curled fingers due to muscle imbalance)
  • Lagophthalmos – inability to fully close the eyelids

These problems can affect mobility and daily activities, making early diagnosis and treatment essential.

Autonomic Nerve Damage

The autonomic nerves control automatic body functions such as:

  • Blood pressure
  • Heart rate
  • Sweating
  • Bowel and bladder function
  • Digestion

When autonomic nerves are damaged by leprosy, you may experience:

  • Loss of sweating in certain areas
  • Dry, cracked skin, which can lead to secondary infections
  • Hair loss in affected regions

In a climate like Grand Rapids—with dry indoor air during winter heating season—loss of sweating and very dry skin can significantly increase the risk of skin breakdown and infection.

Leprosy and Lost Limbs: Clearing Up a Myth

Leprosy does not cause flesh to rot and does not make fingers and toes “fall off.”

In the past, people with untreated leprosy often:

  • Could not feel pain in their hands and feet
  • Repeatedly injured themselves without realizing it
  • Developed severe infections and deformities

In some cases, amputation was needed due to severe injury and infection—not because leprosy directly caused limbs to fall off.

With early diagnosis and modern treatment, available right here in Grand Rapids, MI, the need for amputation is now very rare.

How Is Leprosy Transmitted?

Transmission Is Not Fully Understood

It is not completely known how leprosy is transmitted, but experts believe it is most likely spread:

  • Through respiratory droplets from the nose and mouth of an infected person
  • When an untreated person coughs, sneezes, or talks at close range over a long period of time

In very rare cases, infection in infants under one year old may be passed from an infected mother via the placenta during pregnancy.

Leprosy Is Not Highly Contagious

Leprosy is not highly infectious. People most at risk are those who:

  • Have close, frequent, and long-term contact with someone who has untreated leprosy
  • Live in or have lived in countries where leprosy is more common

The incubation period (time from exposure to first symptoms) can range from about 9 months to over 20 years. This long delay is one reason people may not connect symptoms with past travel or exposure.

Residents of Grand Rapids and West Michigan who have not traveled to endemic areas or had close contact with someone diagnosed with leprosy are at very low risk.

Treatment for Leprosy in Grand Rapids, MI

Before the early 1980s, leprosy treatment could slow the disease but not cure it. Today, with multi-drug antibiotic therapy, leprosy is curable.

Modern Treatment

Treatment usually includes a combination of antibiotics taken for months to years, depending on the type and severity of the disease. With appropriate treatment:

  • The bacteria are killed
  • The disease stops progressing
  • Many complications can be prevented

Most importantly:

  • Once a person with leprosy starts appropriate treatment, they quickly become non-infectious.

In Grand Rapids, treatment and follow-up care are typically coordinated through:

  • Infectious disease specialists at Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • Public health support from the Kent County Health Department for contact tracing and community safety, if needed

Vaccination and Leprosy Prevention

There is no vaccine currently available that specifically and reliably prevents leprosy.

However, the BCG vaccine, which is used in many countries to prevent tuberculosis (TB), may offer some protection against leprosy. This is because the bacteria that cause TB and leprosy are closely related.

In the United States, including Michigan, the BCG vaccine is not routinely given, so most people in Grand Rapids have not received it.

When to See a Doctor in Grand Rapids

Seek medical care if you:

  • Have persistent skin patches or lesions that are numb or do not heal
  • Notice loss of feeling in your hands, feet, or face
  • Develop muscle weakness, especially in your hands or feet
  • Have eye problems such as inability to fully close your eyelids or ongoing eye irritation
  • Have lived in or traveled for long periods to countries where leprosy is common

You can start with:

  • Your primary care provider in Grand Rapids
  • An urgent care clinic within Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • The Kent County Health Department or Grand Rapids Public Health for guidance on rare infectious diseases and referrals

Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing nerve damage and disability.

Key Points About Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) in Grand Rapids, MI

  • The main symptom of leprosy is skin lesions, often with numbness.
  • Leprosy does not cause flesh to rot or make fingers and toes drop off.
  • In the past, limbs were sometimes amputated due to severe injury and infection from loss of pain sensation, not from the bacteria directly.
  • With modern antibiotic treatment, leprosy is curable, and once treatment begins, people quickly become non-infectious.
  • There is no widely available vaccine that specifically prevents leprosy.
  • Leprosy is very rare in Grand Rapids and Michigan, but local health systems and public health agencies are equipped to diagnose and treat it if needed.

If you live in Grand Rapids, MI and have concerns about leprosy after travel or exposure, contact your doctor or the Kent County Health Department for evaluation and guidance.