Romania has confirmed its first case of leprosy in more than 40 years, with three other suspected cases currently under clinical and microbiological investigation, health minister Alexandru Rogobete announced on Thursday, December 11. All four individuals are women from Asia who were employed as masseuses at a spa salon in Cluj-Napoca.

The first two patients, aged 21 and 25, sought medical care at the Cluj County Emergency Hospital on November 26, after developing skin lesions that raised epidemiological concerns, the minister said.

Medical investigations included skin tissue biopsies, one of which tested positive for acid-fast bacilli, supporting the diagnosis of Hansen’s disease. Genetic testing using the GeneXpert MTB/Rif ULTRA method ruled out tuberculosis, while further histopathological examinations and Ziehl-Neelsen smears are ongoing to confirm infection with Mycobacterium leprae in the remaining suspected cases.

Based on current laboratory data, one case has been confirmed, while the other three patients remain under medical and epidemiological monitoring.

Health authorities have taken immediate measures to prevent any potential spread. These include comprehensive ozone disinfection of all areas used by employees, intensified cleaning procedures with approved biocides, inspections of changing rooms and storage spaces, mandatory occupational health assessments for staff, and the expansion of the epidemiological investigation, minster Rogobete said.

The Health Ministry, through the Public Health Directorate, has also ordered the temporary suspension of the spa salon’s activity until the investigation is concluded.

Specific treatment in line with World Health Organization protocols has already been initiated. The minister emphasized that once treatment begins, the risk of transmission drops significantly and ultimately disappears.

Officials stressed that leprosy is a slowly progressing disease with low contagiousness and requires prolonged exposure for transmission. The disease is not spread through casual contact such as handshakes, hugs, brief proximity, use of public transport, or shared spaces.

Health minister Alexandru Rogobete said he has ordered intensified epidemiological surveillance, expanded testing of contacts, evaluations of the working and living conditions of foreign employees, and the request for international assistance from the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to validate diagnostic and treatment protocols and to support ongoing monitoring.

Authorities said the risk to the general population remains low and that the situation is being managed responsibly. The State Sanitary Inspection will monitor developments daily in coordination with local and national public health teams.

The Health Ministry noted that the last case of leprosy in Romania was diagnosed in 1981. At the European level, cases remain rare and are typically recorded among people originating from endemic regions in Asia, Africa, or Latin America.

The ministry said it will provide further information as the epidemiological investigation progresses.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Alexandru Rogobete)