01388nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653001500067653002100082653001100103653001200114653002500126653000900151100001800160700001600178245016400194300001100358490000700369520076800376022001401144       1983                            d  c1983 Apr10aAnimals10aArthropods10aBites and Stings10aHumans10aleprosy10aMycobacterium leprae10aSkin1 aMcDougall A C1 aCologlu A S00aLepromatous leprosy in man; depth of the cellular infiltrate and bacillary mass in relation to the possibility of transmission of leprosy by biting arthropods.  a187-930 v773 a<p>In order to further define the possible role of arthropods in the transmission of leprosy, the depth of the cellular infiltrate and bacillary mass in the skin of patients with untreated lepromatous leprosy was measured, and this was related to the depth of penetration of the mouthparts of some species of arthropods of medical importance. The results confirmed that large numbers of bacilli are readily available to the biting apparatus of several species of arthropods, but not to that of the scabies mite, which has only a superficial attachment and depth of penetration. The data do not indicate that leprosy transmission in man (or animals) occurs through biting arthropods, but they do lend support to this possibility, if only in a mechanical sense.</p>  a0003-4983