01710nas a2200193   4500000000100000008004100001653003200042653002500074653001200099653002500111653001400136100002100150700001600171700001600187700001000203245012300213520116600336022001401502       2016                            d10aNetwork Ripley's K-function10aMycobacterium leprae10aleprosy10aDasypus novemcinctus10aArmadillo1 aPerez-Heydrich C1 aLoughry W J1 aAnderson CD1 aOli M00aPatterns of Mycobacterium Leprae Infection in Wild Nine-Banded Armadillos (Dasypus Novemcinctus), in Mississippi, USA.3 a<p>The nine-banded armadillo ( Dasypus novemcinctus ) is the only known nonhuman reservoir of Mycobacterium leprae , the causative agent of Hansen's disease or leprosy. We conducted a 6-yr study on a wild population of armadillos in western Mississippi that was exposed to M. leprae to evaluate the importance of demographic and spatial risk factors on individual antibody status. We found that spatially derived covariates were not predictive of antibody status. Furthermore, analyses revealed no evidence of clustering by antibody-positive individuals. Lactating females and adult males had higher odds of having the antibody than did nonlactating females. No juveniles or yearlings were antibody positive. Results of these analyses support the hypothesis that M. leprae infection patterns are spatially homogeneous within this armadillo population. Further research of movement patterns, contact among individuals, antibody status, and environmental factors could help address hypotheses related to the role of environmental transmission on M. leprae infection and the mechanisms underlying the differential infection patterns among demographic groups.</p>
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