Researchers from Louisiana discovered that armadillos can transfer Leprosy to human beings. DNA tests showed that a leprosy strain gathered from some patients matched with those of the nine-banded armadillos, the possible reason for the spread of the disease in southern United States.

Years back, many scientists believed that leprosy could only be passed on from one human being to another. An average of 150 people are diagnosed with this disease also known as the Hansen’s disease. Most of those affected by the disease traveled to a country where Leprosy is endemic but more than 30% of them have no idea where they got the disease.

However, it has to be noted that most of these cases are on Louisiana and Texas. Many armadillos infected with leprosy live in that area.

Director of microbiology Richard Truman of the National Hansen’s Disease Program said that they can now provide a link between armadillos and Leprosy.

Proponents of the study took sample from human skin lesions and armadillos and they found out that they are genetically similar. However, this strain of Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria which causes Leprosy, is different from the common strains. That unique bacterium was found in 25 armadillos and 28 human patients.

Out of those 28 patients, 15 of them said they did not have any known contact to armadillos while 8 of them said they routinely hunt them to eat.

Although the study did not record a direct transmission from armadillo (or animals in general) to humans, but an infectious-disease specialist, Brian Curie, said that the evidence is very convincing.