If 500 years ago European explorers transmit leprosy (leprosy) to armadillos in their colony, is now new evidence shows that the armadillo re-transmit leprosy to humans. Armadillo is a type of anteater that mammals native habitats in the Americas.

Armadillo is the only animal that contains the bacteria spreading leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae. The findings are published in the medical journal New England on Wednesday (04/27/2011), said the strain of bacteria that cause leprosy in 25 people from 39 patients in Louisiana, USA, similar to those found in 28 out of 33 species of wild armadillos.

Of the 15 cases observed showed that eight people infected with leprosy because it deals with armadillo hunters. Pushpendra Singh from Ecole Federal Polytechnic in Lausanne, Switzerland, told LiveScience warned, human contact with wild armadillos should be avoided, let alone eat meat that has not matured.