Mycobacterium leprae Infection in a Wild Nine-Banded Armadillo, Nuevo León, Mexico

Emerg Infect Dis. 2022 Mar;28(3):747-749. doi: 10.3201/eid2803.211295.

Abstract

Nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are naturally infected with Mycobacterium leprae and are implicated in the zoonotic transmission of leprosy in the United States. In Mexico, the existence of such a reservoir remains to be characterized. We describe a wild armadillo infected by M. leprae in the state of Nuevo León, Mexico.

Keywords: Dasypus novemcinctus; Hansen disease; Mexico; Mycobacterium leprae; Nuevo León; leprosy; nine-banded armadillo; tuberculosis and other mycobacteria; whole-genome sequencing; zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Armadillos* / microbiology
  • Disease Reservoirs / microbiology
  • Leprosy* / diagnosis
  • Leprosy* / epidemiology
  • Leprosy* / veterinary
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • Mycobacterium leprae / genetics