Leprosy was recognized as a zoonotic disease, associated with nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the Southern United States of America in 2011. In addition, there is growing evidence to support a role for armadillos in zoonotic leprosy in South America. The current study evaluated twenty specimens of the six-banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus), collected from rural locations in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil for evidence of infection with Mycobacterium leprae. Serum was examined using two "in-house" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and via two commercially available (ML flow and NDO-LID®) immunochromatographic lateral flow (LF) tests, for detection of the PGL-I and/or LID-1 antigens of the bacterium. The presence of M. leprae DNA in liver tissue was examined using the multi-copy, M. leprae-specific repetitive element (RLEP), as target in conventional and nested PCR assays. Molecular and anti-PGL-I-ELISA data indicated that 20/20 (100 %) of the armadillos were infected with M. leprae. The corresponding detection levels recorded with the LF tests were 17/20 (85 %) and 16/20 (85 %), for the NDO-LID® and ML flow tests, respectively. Our results indicate that, in common with D. novemcinctus, six banded armadillos (a species hunted and reared as a food-source in some regions of Brazil, including RN), represent a potential reservoir of M. leprae and as such, their role in a possible zoonotic cycle of leprosy within Brazil warrants further investigation.
BT - Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases C1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31775113 DA - 11/2019 DO - 10.1016/j.cimid.2019.101397 J2 - Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. LA - eng N2 -Leprosy was recognized as a zoonotic disease, associated with nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the Southern United States of America in 2011. In addition, there is growing evidence to support a role for armadillos in zoonotic leprosy in South America. The current study evaluated twenty specimens of the six-banded armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus), collected from rural locations in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil for evidence of infection with Mycobacterium leprae. Serum was examined using two "in-house" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and via two commercially available (ML flow and NDO-LID®) immunochromatographic lateral flow (LF) tests, for detection of the PGL-I and/or LID-1 antigens of the bacterium. The presence of M. leprae DNA in liver tissue was examined using the multi-copy, M. leprae-specific repetitive element (RLEP), as target in conventional and nested PCR assays. Molecular and anti-PGL-I-ELISA data indicated that 20/20 (100 %) of the armadillos were infected with M. leprae. The corresponding detection levels recorded with the LF tests were 17/20 (85 %) and 16/20 (85 %), for the NDO-LID® and ML flow tests, respectively. Our results indicate that, in common with D. novemcinctus, six banded armadillos (a species hunted and reared as a food-source in some regions of Brazil, including RN), represent a potential reservoir of M. leprae and as such, their role in a possible zoonotic cycle of leprosy within Brazil warrants further investigation.
PY - 2019 EP - 101397 T2 - Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases TI - Serological and molecular detection of infection with Mycobacterium leprae in Brazilian six banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus). UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147957119301948?via%3Dihub VL - 68 SN - 1878-1667 ER -