Naturally Acquired Leprosy-Like Disease in the Nine-Banded Armadillo '(Dasypus novemcinctus'); Reactions in Leprosy Patients to Lepromins Prepared from Naturally Infected Armadillos.

摘要

Lepromins prepared from 6 armadillos with a naturally acquired leprosy-like disease in Louisiana were assayed in 146 leprosy patients with lepromatous and nonlepromatous leprosy. The patients resided in Ethiopia, Malaysia, Venezuela and Zaire. The classic pattern of Mitsuda reactions was observed. Whereas patients with lepromatous leprosy gave weak or negative reactions, those with nonlepromatous leprosy gave positive reactions. Because Mycobacterium leprae is the only microorganism known to give this pattern of response, these data indicate that the organism responsible for the naturally acquired leprosy-like disease of armadillos in Louisiana is closely related to, if not identical with, M. leprae. (Author)