Surveillance for naturally acquired leprosy in a nine-banded armadillo population

Samples from 77 nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) inhabiting a 16.7 km portion of the East Atchafalaya River Levee, Point Coupee Parish, Louisiana, were serologically tested and/or histopathologically examined for evidence of naturally acquired leprosy. Five of 67 (7.5%) armadillos tested sero-positive with ELISA test for IGM class antibodies to the phenolic-glycolipid-1 antigen of Mycobacterium leprae. One of 74 (1.3%) was histopathologically positive as determined by presence of acid-fast bacteria in nerves.