"Leprosy is not easily transmitted. Only about 5% of people who live in the same household as someone with leprosy contract the disease. And it takes a long time to develop -- usually 4-8 years. I suspect this increase in U.S. leprosy cases is largely confined to certain immigrant groups from countries where it is endemic (most of whom already had it when they got here, but just weren't symptomatic yet), and is at least partly due to increased diagnosis (read: more free medical care to illegal immigrants). Also, it's now completely curable. So don't panic!"
Agreed. This article is sensationalist and misleading. I'm more concerned about the piece of baked armadillo I ate as a kid (my dad's curiosity got the best of him) than an epidemic caused by immigrants. Anyway, Hansen's desease is easily curable now, though if untreated for a long time can lead to ghastly results.
I think the point is that if leprosy is coming back, so are a lot of other goodies we have kept supressed.