We examined armadillos from museum collections in the United States using molecular assays to detect leprosy-causing bacilli. We found Mycobacterium leprae bacilli in samples from the United States, Bolivia, and Paraguay; prevalence was 14.8% in nine-banded armadillos. US isolates belonged to subtype 3I-2, suggesting long-term circulation of this genotype.
Keywords: Avanzi C; Bolivia; Garzon-Chavez D; Hansen disease; Jackson M; Mycobacterium leprae; Mycobacterium lepromatosis; PCR; Paraguay; Peterson AT. Mycobacterium leprae in armadillo tissues from museum collections; Suggested citation for this article: Romero-Alvarez D; United States; United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 Mar [date cited]. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2903.221636; armadillo; leprosy; molecular techniques; museum collections; tuberculosis and other mycobacteria.