01233nas a2200169   4500000000100000008004100001100001900042700001200061700001300073700001400086245008100100300001400181490000700195050002100202520082700223022001301050       2015                            d1 aBalamayooran G1 aPena MT1 aSharma R1 aTruman RW00aThe armadillo as an animal model and reservoir host for Mycobacterium leprae  a108 - 1150 v33  aBALAMAYOORAN20153 a<p>Apart from humans, armadillos are the only known natural hosts of Mycobacterium leprae. They are well developed as hosts for in vivo propagation of M leprae and are advancing as models for studying the pathogenesis of leprosy and translational research. Armadillos are immunologically intact. They exhibit the full Ridley-Jopling spectrum of histopathologic responses to M leprae and uniquely manifest extensive neurological involvement that closely recapitulates human leprosy. In addition, free-ranging armadillos in some regions are known to harbor a naturally occurring infection with M leprae, and zoonotic transmission between armadillos and humans has been implicated in a large number of new case presentations. We review the role of the armadillo as a model for leprosy and reservoir for human infection.</p>
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