Armadillos likely spread leprosy in U.S. South

[Keith Bee]

Source: CBC.ca

With some genetic sleuthing, scientists have fingered a likely culprit in the spread of leprosy in the southern United States: the nine-banded armadillo.

DNA tests show a match in the leprosy strain between some patients and these prehistoric-looking critters — a connection scientists had suspected but until now couldn't pin down.

"Now we have the link," said James Krahenbuhl, who heads a government leprosy program that led the new study.

Only about 150 leprosy cases occur each year in the U.S., mostly among travellers to places like India, Brazil and Angola where it's more common. The risk of getting leprosy from an armadillo is low because most people who get exposed don't get sick with the ancient scourge, known medically as Hansen's disease and now easily treatable.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/04/27/leprosy-armadillo.html

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See, this is why I check out foreign news sites: I had no freakin' clue that this was happening. I guess our Glorious Free Press is too busy covering pampered idiots who somehow manage to run casinos into the ground.

[Trajan]

1. While I understand the complaints about the media focusing on the wrong things

It would be wrong to presume they should only focus on what YOU want them to focus on ...'

I would get mighty bored mighty fast ....

[Keith Bee]

3. Me, personally? I wanna focus on boobies!

:patriot:

[Zorra]

11. Brown boobies, and especially Peruvian boobies, are my favorites.

But blue footed and red footed boobies are cool too.

[Trajan]

2. That being said ...

This is freaky weird .... I had no idea such a transfer could occur .... Like everyone else, I suppose ...

Thanks for sharing this ...

[diane in sf]

4. Don't grope the armadillos!

[LuvNewcastle]

5. I did a class project on leprosy

when I was in 8th or 9th grade. That was in the early 1980's and it was already known that armadillos could spread the disease. However, armadillos are common down here and I've never heard of anyone contracting leprosy. Some people eat the creatures -- they call it "possum on the half-shell," but still no talk of spreading disease.

[TexasProgresive]

10. Isn't it amazing how known facts suddenly become news

I forget how long ago I learned of armadillos and Hansen's disease. We never progress in knowledge because we keep reinventing the wheel.

[gkhouston]

16. I've never seen a dillo that wasn't ba-dumped on the asphalt. Are people eating

(hopefully fresh) road kill or are they setting traps?

[dipsydoodle]

6. Things usually start dropping off

in a recession.

[ZombieHorde]

7. Ha! nt

[AllTooEasy]

8. Armadillos ruin everything!

[cutlassmama]

9. They have been getting into my garden. I hope the hubby doesn't catch

it because tonight he picked up some Armadillo poop from the garden!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. They believe the majority of cases came from people eating armadillos

That and excessively handling them. Which the report says usually happens only in regions where people eat armadillos, so there appears to be a connection there. So, even if the poop were to carry leprosy, which I'm not sure it does, he should be just fine.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

12. To be fair, this was covered in our local media

However, being being the state with the largest population of armadillos may be the reason it was covered.

[Javaman]

14. This is news? This has been known for ages. nt

[RedCloud]

15. Will they sell armadillo repellent?

[NickB79]

17. They're not just in the south anymore. They've expanded up to Iowa already

But don't worry, global warming is just a myth.

[Dover]

18. And in animal news, armadillos have determined that the human race

has been responsible for millions of armadillo deaths by automobile. Known as "human desease"
there is no known treatment.