Armadillos infect 9 in Florida with leprosy

quote:

---

Nine people in Florida were infected with leprosy after coming in direct contact with armadillos, according to the Sun Sentinel.

The newspaper reports health officials there are blaming the higher-than normal number of cases on the critters and have warned residents to stay away from them.

Armadillos are the only animal to carry leprosy, a bacterial disease that affects the skin and nerves, according to the Center for Disease Control. Federal researchers in 2011 found about a third of the leprosy cases in the United States "almost certainly result from contact with infected armadillos," The New York Times reported.

While leprosy was "once feared as a highly contagious and devastating disease," modern treatments are now available.

Armadillos are included in Louisiana's list of "outlaw quadrupeds," meaning those with valid hunting licenses can shoot them year-round during daylight hours.

---