An ancient and rare disease is now being treated in Volusia County: leprosy.

Over the past five months, three cases of the disease have appeared in Volusia, according to health officials.

The health department said the cases are not related. Two of the patients may have gotten the infection from armadillos, specifically nine-banded armadillos, which are known to carry the disease.

Leprosy, or Hansen's Disease, mainly affects the skin, nerves and mucous membranes, leading to painful, even disfiguring sores, muscle weakness, loss of feeling in the limbs and permanent nerve damage.

However, the diease is easily treatable, especially if caught early.

We reached out to the Florida Dept. of Health for information about other counties that have cases of leprosy and are waiting to hear back.

But according to the Centers for Disease Control, there are about 100 new cases of leprosy reported in the U.S. each year.

