"I would not dig in soil that has a lot of armadillo excrement." Privacy Statement But before you start to worry about epidemics or making armadillo eradication plans, find comfort in this: Though Hansen’s disease, as it is clinically known, annually effects 250,000 people worldwide, it only infects about 150 to 250 Americans. Armadillos and Leprosy. Leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease. Abide published these case studies in 2008. What goes around, comes around. Continue Last week, offficials in eastern Florida announced the emergence of three new cases of leprosy—the ancient, highly stigmatized disease once handled by isolation—in the last five months. Advertising Notice AAAS is a partner of HINARI, AGORA, OARE, CHORUS, CLOCKSS, CrossRef and COUNTER. The broader message about this work is that wild animals harbor all kinds of diseases that can be transmitted to humans, particularly when there may be contact with blood or when eating the meat. California Do Not Sell My Info Laura Clark is a writer and editor based in Pittsburgh. A genetic study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine shows that U.S. armadillos and human patients share what seems to be a unique strain of the bacterium that causes leprosy. Hence, it can be said without any doubts that you cannot get the plague from armadillos. Bacterial transmission to people can occur when we handle or eat the animal. But they can get it just as humans, mangabey monkeys, rabbits and mice can. Armadillos Can Transmit Leprosy to Humans, Federal Researchers Confirm. Mars lander spies the planet's deep boundaries, As vaccines emerge, a global waiting game begins, People with Down syndrome face high risk from coronavirus, American Association for the Advancement of Science. © 2020 American Association for the Advancement of Science. It’s a rare disease these days, thankfully, and when people do contract leprosy it’s usually after traveling to foreign countries and being exposed to it by other means. An international team led by researchers at Colorado State University has found that human contact with wild armadillos — including eating the meat — has contributed to extremely high infection rates of a pathogen that can cause leprosy in Pará, Brazil. 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However, the potential for the spread of leprosy between armadillos and humans is extremely low, Truman said. "It's always been a curiosity," says Richard Truman, a microbiologist at the National Hansen's Disease Program which is housed at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Leprosy victims suffer from skin lesions, disfigurement, and … There have been several anecdotal reports of leprosy in humans who have handled, killed or eaten armadillos, or who may have been indirectly exposed by … No, not all armadillos are carriers of leprosy as far too many people believe. Even more reassuring: up to 95 percent of the population is genetically unsusceptible to contracting it. Study shows that some armadillos and people with leprosy armored, strangely cute critter to.: up to 20 percent of the animals and 25 of the population is genetically to... The body and is notoriously difficult to address, '' Abide says and. 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