02965nas a2200337   4500000000100000008004100001100001300042700001500055700000900070700001400079700002400093700001500117700001500132700001200147700001300159700001400172700001900186700001100205700001300216700001200229700001300241700001200254700001500266700001500281245013100296856007800427300001300505490000700518520208800525022001402613       2018                            d1 aSilva MB1 aPortela JM1 aLi W1 aJackson M1 aGonzalez-Juarrero M1 aHidalgo AS1 aBelisle JT1 aBouth R1 aGobbo AR1 aBarreto J1 aMinervino AH H1 aCole S1 aAvanzi C1 aBusso P1 aFrade MA1 aGeluk A1 aSalgado CG1 aSpencer JS00aEvidence of zoonotic leprosy in Pará, Brazilian Amazon, and risks associated with human contact or consumption of armadillos.  uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0006532  ae00065320 v123 a<p>Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) is a human pathogen and the causative agent for leprosy, a chronic disease characterized by lesions of the skin and peripheral nerve damage. Zoonotic transmission of M. leprae to humans by nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) has been shown to occur in the southern United States, mainly in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Nine-banded armadillos are also common in South America, and residents living in some areas in Brazil hunt and kill armadillos as a dietary source of protein. This study examines the extent of M. leprae infection in wild armadillos and whether these New World mammals may be a natural reservoir for leprosy transmission in Brazil, similar to the situation in the southern states of the U.S. The presence of the M. leprae-specific repetitive sequence RLEP was detected by PCR amplification in purified DNA extracted from armadillo spleen and liver tissue samples. A positive RLEP signal was confirmed in 62% of the armadillos (10/16), indicating high rates of infection with M. leprae. Immunohistochemistry of sections of infected armadillo spleens revealed mycobacterial DNA and cell wall constituents in situ detected by SYBR Gold and auramine/rhodamine staining techniques, respectively. The M. leprae-specific antigen, phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) was detected in spleen sections using a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific for PGL-I. Anti-PGL-I titers were assessed by ELISA in sera from 146 inhabitants of Belterra, a hyperendemic city located in western Pará state in Brazil. A positive anti-PGL-I titer is a known biomarker for M. leprae infection in both humans and armadillos. Individuals who consumed armadillo meat most frequently (more than once per month) showed a significantly higher anti-PGL-I titer than those who did not eat or ate less frequently than once per month. Armadillos infected with M. leprae represent a potential environmental reservoir. Consequently, people who hunt, kill, or process or eat armadillo meat are at a higher risk for infection with M. leprae from these animals.</p>
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