State health officials are warning Floridians to stay away from armadillos.
They say the animals are responsible for a recent spike in leprosy cases in the state.
Nine cases have been reported in Florida this year. That nearly matches the state's yearly average.
Each of the cases involved a person who was in direct contact with armadillos.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says armadillos are the only animal to carry the bacteria that causes the disease, which is spread through saliva.
According to Smithsonian.com, Hansen’s disease, as it is clinically known, annually effects 250,000 people worldwide, but only infects about 150 to 250 Americans. Up to 95 percent of the population is genetically insusceptible to contracting it.
Experts say armadillos are coming out in the daytime as developers destroy their natural habitats, exposing workers to the extremely rare disease.
The most recent diagnosis came three weeks ago in Flagler
County.
When spotted early, leprosy can be treated fairly easily.