A Rare Case of Leprosy in West Florida

Authors

Adrian Lugo, HCA HealthcareFollow
Taylor Studsrud, HCA HealthcareFollow
Nemer Dabage, HCA HealthcareFollow
James DeMaio, HCA HealthcareFollow

Files

Division

West Florida

Hospital

Blake Medical Center

Specialty

Internal Medicine

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

7-2020

Keywords

leprosy, mycobacterium infections, Hansen's disease, Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, gram positive bacterial infection

Disciplines

Bacterial Infections and Mycoses | Epidemiology | Infectious Disease | Internal Medicine

Abstract

• Leprosy is caused by acid-fast bacilli of the M. leprae complex, which includes M. leprae and M. lepromatosis.
• Transmission in the U.S. is rare, but has been documented in hunters who handle wild ninebanded armadillo.
• The origins of M. leprae infection among armadillos, the geographic range of the infected animals, and the potential risks infected armadillos present to people have been topics of concern.
• The infection originated amongst armadillos decades before they were ever used in leprosy research, and numerous surveys have confirmed that armadillos in the southern United States are a large natural reservoir for M. leprae; its prevalence exceeds 20% in some locales.

Recommended Citation

Lugo, Adrian; Studsrud, Taylor; Dabage, Nemer; and DeMaio, James, "A Rare Case of Leprosy in West Florida" (2020). West Florida Division Virtual Research Day 2020. 44.
https://scholarlycommons.hcahealthcare.com/westflorida2020/44