To date, around 150-200 Americans have leprosy. Eating the armadillo can cause leprosy, too. Many trappers are hunters are not shy about eating this animal, however, and based on the previous statistics I provided before, you can see why. In any case, keep yourself safe and try not to handle or eat armadillo.
Besides humans, nine-banded armadillos are the only animals that can carry M. Leprae, the bacteria that causes leprosy. Several human cases of the disease linked with the pests have been reported in Texas, though these animals have also tested positive for M. Leprae in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.
Armadillos that carry leprosy can pass the bacteria on to humans. In a 2018 study, Colorado State University and some colleagues in Brazil captured some Armadillos and tested them for leprosy bacteria.
How can armadillos spread leprosy?
Countries that reported more than 1,000 new cases of Hansen’s disease to WHO between 2011 and 2015 are: Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, United Republic of TanzaniaAsia: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri LankaAmericas: Brazil.
The good news is that, as of now, armadillo-transmitted leprosy in the U. Is still a relatively rare occurrence. We know this because the total number of leprosy cases is small – there are only about 150-250 reported cases nationwide each year.
Can armadillos transmit leprosy to people?
This armored and endemic creature has been said to be the main cause of the disease to people who have actually come into contact with it. The armadillos are able to host leprosy bacillus. This creature has been linked to human leprosy cases officially. Therefore, we can say that armadillos can actually transmit leprosy to people.
You could be wondering “Can touching an armadillo give you leprosy?”
For years, scientists have speculated that armadillos can pass on leprosy to humans, and that they are behind the few dozen cases of the disease that occur in the U., and every year. And in some places, more than 20% of armadillos are infected with leprosy.