01509nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002000055653001200075653001500087653001200102653001000114653002500124653002500149653001100174653001000185653001400195100001400209700001400223700001400237245011900251300001100370490000700381520082900388022001401217       1983                            d  c1983 Sep10aAnimal Diseases10aAnimals10aArmadillos10aleprosy10aLiver10aMicroscopy, Electron10aMycobacterium leprae10aSpleen10aTexas10aXenarthra1 aMeier J L1 aFolse D S1 aSmith J H00aLeprosy in wild armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) on the Texas Gulf Coast. Ultrastructure of the liver and spleen.  a281-900 v493 a<p>Recent studies have established that the "naturally-occurring leprosy-like disease of wild armadillos" is, indeed, caused by Mycobacterium leprae indistinguishable from M. leprae from human lepromatous leprosy. The present study reports the ultrastructure of the mycobacteria and host response in deep viscera, liver and spleen, in Texas armadillos with sylvatic leprosy. Evidence for acid-fast bacillary proliferation in these organs and penetration of hepatocytes is given. Acid-fast bacilli concentrated in activated macrophages in Billroth cords and sheaths of Schweigger-Seidel of the spleen and in Kupffer cells of the liver. Both mycobacteria and host response seen in lepromata of sylvatic leprosy, lepromatous lesions produced by injection of inocula from human lepromata and human lepromata, are compared.</p>
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