Healthcare staff challenged by rare case of leprosy

The infected person was an individual in their 30s living with eight other adults in Ireland who was born and raised in a Caribbean country where leprosy is endemic.

A recent case involving a rare form of leprosy in the south-west of Ireland presented a major challenge to healthcare staff, with calls made for specific guidelines for the public health response to patients with the disease.

A new report on the case of leprosy, recorded by the HSE South-West in 2024, observed it presented complex challenges particularly in relation to contract tracing and the management of close contacts as well as the stigmatising nature of the disease.