Leprosy: when you think of that term, do you imagine a scene from the Bible, where a decrepit man with horrible skin lesions, shunned by society, is begging on the outskirts of a city? This may have once been the case for sufferers of leprosy, an infectious disease less commonly known as Hansen’s disease, but modern cases are much less dire than that old scene, due to effective medication. If you’re surprised to learn that leprosy is still around in modern times, you may also not be aware that this disease lurks in some armadillos that live in North America.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, in 2007 there were approximately 255,000 new cases of leprosy reported worldwide. Though the disease is largely eradicated in the United States, it is still an issue in third-world countries. In fact, an average of only 100-200 cases are reported in the U.S. each year, meaning that only 1 person contracts leprosy in every 3.1 million people.
The nine-banded armadillo is an invasive species of the United States, expanding its range northward from South America. Federal research has indicated that about one third of the leprosy cases reported in the country each year are due to contact with infected armadillos. However, those cases seem to concentrate around Texas and Louisiana, where armadillos are hunted and eaten by some residents. Some research has even shown that up to 20 percent of armadillos may carry leprosy in some areas.
The key with any disease prevention is precaution. People that do outdoor activities like bone collecting, such as biologists, researchers, professors, naturalists, personal collectors, and others, would be wise to be wary of contact with armadillos or their remains. Leprosy is caused by a bacteria, so protection such as disposable latex gloves is a must if in any contact with armadillos, as is handwashing afterwards. If you’re an adventurous foodie ever facing the chance of eating armadillo meat, just be safe and choose not to. As with any animal disease transmissible to humans, caution and safety is extremely important. Leprosy in armadillos may not mean much to some people, but if you’re an outdoors man like me, it only pays to be cautious.
Source:
U. S. National Library of Medicine (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002323/)