Armadillos likely spread leprosy in U.S. South [View All]

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.