ABSTRACT
Contrary to the findings with armadillos from Louisiana and Texas, armadillos from Florida are free of natural leprosy-like infection. Examination of ear clip, nasal, blood buffy coat, liver and spleen of inoculated armadillos from Florida did not reveal the presence of any acid fast bacteria. However, using massive inocula, 6 out of 77 armadillo tissues were found to contain very negligible proportions of cultivable mycobacteria. The significance of these isolates in relation to M. leprae and also to leprosy research is discussed.
Subject(s)
Animals , Armadillos/microbiology , Culture Media , Florida , Liver/microbiology , Mice , Mycobacterium/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium leprae/growth & development , Spleen/microbiology , Xenarthra/microbiologyABSTRACT
Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was measured in 91 adult healthy and lepromatous armadillos before inoculation with M. leprae and at necropsises. Mean ACE values were significantly elevated in armadillos with leprosy and the degree of elevation was roughly proportional to the extent of infection. There was also significant difference in the serum ACE levels between Florida and Louisiana armadillos. The dapsone treatment resulted in bringing these levels to normal. Serial assays of serum, ACE provided information on the response of armadillos to dapsone therapy.