#armadillos!

[grassangel]

[its-mycobacterium-leprae-blog]

Transmission and Symptoms of Leprosy

(Image source)

In the US, you’re more likely to catch leprosy from an armadillo than a human. Hypochondriacs take note. It’s hard to pin down how contagious leprosy is, because something like 95% of the population is naturally immune. It’s also hard to pin down when a person became infected, because the incubation period is typically 3 - 10 years. The longest reported incubation period was 30 years. After a person becomes infected the severity of symptoms depends on the person’s immune response. Mycobacterium leprae requires a temperature slightly lower than body temperature to grow, so it tends to hang out in the extremeties and areas like the nose. Symptoms can be as mild as discolored patches of skin with slightly reduced sensation, and as extreme as muscle paralysis or constant pain. A person may also experience a reduced ability to smell or have difficulty breathing. Sources: -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24770495 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3440852/ -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3431526/ -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22760139

[squibblysquibb]

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[taterwodge]

oh no now I want a Dime bar

[randomsignal-blog]

I LIKES ARMADILLOS!