U.S. faces new health threat: Leprosy transmitted to humans by armadillos

As if the public health emergency caused by the Zika virus infection is not alarming enough, another new medical threat is emerging in the United States.

In its December 2015 "Emerging Infectious Diseases" report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned of rising cases of leprosy in the U.S., particularly in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.

The infectious disease—caused by the bacterium known as Microbacterium leprae in the scientific community, and whose patients were once placed in isolated areas—was reported to be transmitted not just by human beings but also by slow-moving animals known as armadillos.



"Leprosy appears to be an emerging infection of armadillos throughout the southeastern United States," Dr. Rahul Sharma from the CDC explained in an article on hcplive.com.

Sharma and colleagues at the National Hansen's Disease Program Laboratory Research Branch in Baton Rouge, LA, screened a total of 645 armadillos from eight areas in the southern U.S. not known to harbour enzootic leprosy, and made an alarming discovery.

Sharma's team found a new leprosy genotype in the animals, which has already been transmitted to humans. Therefore, cross-species infections have already occurred.

What's more alarming is the fact that the mechanism by which the bacterium was transmitted from armadillos to humans still remains undetermined.

The research team suspect that the bacterium is transmitted to humans through direct exposure to blood of dead armadillos, said to be "the host of choice" for leprosy.

Sharma further explained that the leprosy bacterium attacks a person's peripheral nerves early in the course of the disease, which leads to a patient's evident disfigurement and deformity.

"There are tremendous misconceptions about leprosy...extensive neuritis and nerve damage underlies the gross pathology and deformity we sometimes associate with leprosy...appendages don't just fall off, lack of sensation makes them very susceptible to secondary injury and trauma," he explained.

http://www.divdel.com/blogs/2016/02/u-s-faces-new-health-threat-leprosy-transmitted-to-humans-by-armadillos/

Hian ! Another virus kwa? Leprosy kwa? o0 e no get wetin person no go hear for this world in d name of Disease. #JahGuidees

The world can only control greed, lust for power and cheat of resources by reverting to trade by barter system, because few want to get rich they invented monetary system, they accumulated money through con ways and later control the less privilege.

The world keeps going in this cycle and never ends, human beings discovering more callous ways to create money irrespective of the subtle pogrom through their wicked inventions.

Some few heads just sat together with glasses of champagne and said we can make money creating virus and make an antidote and we collect their money to help them from sickness we created! Fantastic!

Yet another disease? This seems to be a time for viruses and infectious diseases. May God help us.

Godmother:
Yet another disease? This seems to be a time for viruses and infectious diseases. May God help us.

Amen

ugolance:
Hian ! Another virus kwa? Leprosy kwa? o0 e no get wetin person no go hear for this world in d name of Disease. #JahGuidees

Abio. This is end time