Armadillos Carrying Leprosy Bacteria Spreading in Southern US

The armadillos in the southern United States carrying the bacteria that can cause leprosy are now found over a much larger geographic range than just a few years ago, a new study suggests. The nine-banded armadillos that can transmit the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae to humans were once thought to be primarily confined to parts of Louisiana and Texas. Leprosy — which is usually called by its modern name, Hansen's disease — is curable with antibiotics, and has a low risk of being spre