02434nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653004900054653004400103653002500147653003900172653003200211653003100243653002200274653002000296653002100316653001200337653002600349653002200375100001400397700001300411700001100424700001400435700001600449245011500465300001000580490000800590520149600598022001402094       2022                            d  c01/202210a
          Brachylaemus virginianus
        10a
          Dasypus novemcintus
        10aMycobacterium leprae10a
          Oncicola canis
        10a
          Physaloptera sp.10a
          Raillietina sp.10aTrypanosoma cruzi10aChagas' disease10aHansen's disease10aleprosy10aNine-banded armadillo10aNonnative species1 aHaywood C1 aJordon A1 aPena M1 aNielsen C1 aJiménez AF00aTissue and Gastrointestinal Parasites of Colonizing Nine-Banded Armadillos at the Edge of Their Northern Range  a57-630 v1083 a<p>Originally endemic to South America, the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has recently expanded its range northward to Illinois. With this range expansion comes concern regarding potential incoming pathogens; our research, conducted during 2012-2020, consisted of screening armadillos for the presence of helminths, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Mycobacterium leprae. We screened for the presence of T. cruzi and M. leprae, 2 pathogens known to infect humans, using polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. All 80 samples screened for T. cruzi and all 25 samples screened for M. leprae were negative. No parasite specific to the nine-banded armadillo, such as Aspidodera sogandaresi, was detected. This lack of infection is consistent with the idea that animals may be isolated from their common parasites during periods of range expansion. Lack of infection by T. cruzi in an endemic area suggests that these mammals may not be exposed to the infective stages at this early phase of their colonization. Presently, the armadillo has become established in Illinois, yet they have not introduced their parasites into the area. Our study represents the first effort to document the parasitological record of the expanding armadillo within 30 yr of their initial record in Illinois and the American Midwest. This helminthological record of armadillos in Illinois sets the timeline to observe the establishment of A. sogandaresi in the Midwest.</p>
  a1937-2345