Borderline leprosy in an experimentally infected armadillo.
Out of six armadillos infected intravenously with 4.66 x 10(8) M. leprae, one developed a delayed hypersensitivity tissue response with the formation of an epithelioid cell granuloma. It is suggested that, although 80% of armadillos are susceptible to infection with M. leprae, some among these susceptible ones will exhibit varying degrees of delayed hypersensitivity reactions. These animals may go through a borderline phase before ultimately undergoing lepromatous degeneration.
D000818:Animals; D001135:Armadillos; D007918:Leprosy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004490:Xenarthra