Can you get leprosy from armadillos? The unusual history behind a Texas icon
The armadillo evokes imagery of Texas as much as the cowboy and the rattlesnake. It also might carry Hansen's Disease, commonly known as leprosy, one of the oldest infectious diseases in human history.
Where do armadillos live?
Named for their hard exteriors, “armadillo” translates to “little armored one” in Spanish. The official small mammal of the state of Texas, the creatures can be found from South America into Mexico and across the Lone Star state. Due to warming climates, they have even been found as far north as Illinois and Nebraska. Some scientists predict the species will migrate into the Northeast as climate changes become more drastic.
While there are over 20 species of armadillos, the only one found in the United States is the nine-banded armadillo, which, contrary to popular belief, cannot roll up into a ball to protect itself from predators.
Apart from their unique appearances, armadillos also have a unique reproductive pattern. Females have one litter annually, with genetically identical quadruplets.
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Do armadillos actually carry leprosy?
Armadillos made their first appearances in the chronicles of European explorers dating back to the 16th century, which is when some scientists hypothesize that armadillos initially contracted leprosy. Like smallpox, the disease was not endemic to the Americas, making it likely that the armadillos began to carry the disease after contact with Europeans.
Armadillos are able to host the disease due to their stable body temperatures, a requirement to host the fragile Mycobacterium leprae bacteria that causes leprosy.
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Can you get leprosy from armadillos?
Identified as a zoonotic disease – a disease which can be transmitted from animals to humans – leprosy can be found in up to 20% of armadillos, per a 2011 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In humans, the disease appears as skin lesions, and can cause nerve damage, with the disease’s ability to lay dormant for decades often complicating the source of infection.
Regardless of the high incidence rate of leprosy among armadillos, the ability for humans to contract leprosy is very rare. In 2020, 159 new cases were reported in the U.S., with 69% of those cases concentrated in six states, including Texas.
Despite this, in some studies, armadillos have been linked to up to two-thirds of human leprosy cases in the United States, which is why the CDC, citing the risk of infection, cautions against handling armadillos.
So if you see an armadillo in your backyard, it is best to leave it be.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Does the armadillo in my backyard have leprosy? Here's what to know
