%0 Journal Article
%T Mycobacterium leprae in Armadillo Tissues from Museum Collections, United States.
%A Romero-Alvarez D
%A Garzon-Chavez D
%A Jackson M
%A Avanzi C
%A Peterson AT
%J Emerg Infect Dis
%V 29
%N 3
%D 03 2023
%M 36823763
%F 16.126
%R 10.3201/eid2903.221636
%X 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.