title: The armadillo as an animal model and reservoir host for Mycobacterium leprae.
abstract: Apart from humans, armadillos are the only known natural hosts of Mycobacterium leprae. They are well developed as hosts for in vivo propagation of M leprae and are advancing as models for studying the pathogenesis of leprosy and translational research. Armadillos are immunologically intact. They exhibit the full Ridley-Jopling spectrum of histopathologic responses to M leprae and uniquely manifest extensive neurological involvement that closely recapitulates human leprosy. In addition, free-ranging armadillos in some regions are known to harbor a naturally occurring infection with M leprae, and zoonotic transmission between armadillos and humans has been implicated in a large number of new case presentations. We review the role of the armadillo as a model for leprosy and reservoir for human infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Department of Health Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Gayathriy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balamayooran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Department of Health Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Department of Health Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Hansen's Disease Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Electronic address: rtruman@HRSA.gov.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Truman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001135:Armadillos / Q000382:microbiology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000635:transmission; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007918:Leprosy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity