“Leprosy in the Armed Forces of the United States: Newly Reported Cases from 1970 to 1983”

Despite recruitment of U.S. military personnel from areas where leprosy is endemic, and despite assignment of personnel to endemic areas, the prevalence of leprosy among active duty personnel and dependents has never been reported. During the period 1970–1983, leprosy was diagnosed in 89 active duty U.S. military personnel and 54 dependents at U.S. military hospitals and clinics. The incidence of leprosy in the military was low, but greater than that in the general U.S. production. The military medical community must be cognizant of the clinical presentation of leprosy because of continued recruitment from and assignment of personnel to leprosy-endemic areas.