And the vast majority of armadillos that live in the wild don’t survive long enough to develop a full-blown leprosy infection . While leprosy is not a wide spread issue in the United States, some recently reported leprosy cases have raised concerns about an increase in the armadillo-leprosy threat.
Our answer is that Armadillos likely have humans to thank for leprosy, with the best guess being that it was transmitted to the well-armored mammals about 400 years ago. One theory holds that armadillos might be prone to carrying leprosy because of their low body temperature , which makes a good host for the fragile bacteria.
Some think that And, when the species do interact , armadillos are giving leprosy back. Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, is caused by infection by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, causing skin lesions, nerve damage, disfigurement and disability, leading to social stigmatization common to people with this disease.
In North America, where armadillos are considered a reservoir of Hansen’s bacillus20 , strains of M. Lepraefrom armadillos have been found in almost two-thirds of the autochthonous human leprosy cases in Southern USA21. Table 1shows published studies on the natural infection of M. Lepraein wild armadillos.
The best way to alleviate your concerns about armadillo-transmitted leprosy is to avoid handling or consuming the animal . You can also implement armadillo control solutions such as repellents and traps on your property as a way to limit the risk of exposure.
What diseases do armadillos carry?
While they can host parasitic worms and even rabies on rare occasions, most of the conversation surrounding armadillo diseases is about leprosy . Besides humans, nine-banded armadillos are the only animals that can carry M. Leprae, the bacteria that causes leprosy.
While writing we ran into the question “Can armadillos spread diseases to humans?”.
One source stated and as for armadillos—the risk of transmission to humans is low. Only the nine-banded armadillo is known to carry the disease . And, most people in the U. Who come down with the chronic bacterial disease get it from other people while traveling outside the country. And it looks like armadillos are the real victims here.
Because they were the only animal other than humans in which the bacteria could be isolated, armadillos allowed scientists to study leprosy and possible treatments . Now, there are millions of armadillos in the southern U. S, and people interact with them in a variety of ways.
Why is there leprosy in Florida?
Now the great state of Florida has an annual outbreak of leprosy to deal with. The leprosy is being spread by armadillos which love the hot weather and bug-filled terrain of the Sunshine State . Using their long, sticky tongues, armadillos forage for ants, termites, and beetles, as well as other insects.
Why can’t leprosy be grown in a lab?
Likely a combination of body temperature and the fragile nature of the disease. As the New York Times reports, leprosy is a “wimp of a pathogen.” It’s so fragile that it dies quickly outside of the body and is notoriously difficult to grow in lab conditions .