@article{25643, author = {Balamayooran G and Pena MT and Sharma R and Truman RW}, 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.

}, year = {2015}, journal = {Clinics in Dermatology}, volume = {33}, pages = {108 - 115}, issn = {0738081X}, doi = {10.1016/j.clindermatol.2014.07.001}, language = {eng}, }