Job C K, Drain V, Williams D L, Gillis T P, Truman R W, Sanchez R M, Deming A T, Hastings R C
Laboratory Research Branch, Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center, Carville, Louisiana 70721.
Lepr Rev. 1991 Dec;62(4):362-73. doi: 10.5935/0305-7518.19910042.
Thirty, nine-banded armadillos weighing between 3 and 5 kilograms trapped from an area endemic for armadillo leprosy were collected at random; killed, autopsied and examined histopathologically. Also, one of the right inguinal lymph nodes was removed under sterile precautions and examined using PCR, direct smear examination, mouse footpad study, culture in laboratory media and histopathology with a view to detecting Mycobacterium leprae. Blood was collected at death and tested for IgM antibodies to PGL-1. According to the PCR study of the inguinal lymph nodes 16 of 30 armadillos (53.3%) had evidence of M. leprae. Significant levels of IgM antibodies to PGL-1 and identifiable lepromatous granuloma in inguinal lymph nodes were found in 2 animals (6.7%) with advanced disseminated disease. The prevalence of generalized leprosy according to autopsy study was 13.3% and according to histopathological examination of ear tissue 3.3%. The presence of M. leprae in the tissues evoked no special tissue reaction in the early stages. The pattern of spread of the disease in 2 animals closely resembled that found in experimental animals infected intracutaneously. Initiation of infection by inoculation of M. leprae through thorn pricks remains a distinct possibility.
从犰狳麻风病流行地区随机捕获30只体重在3至5千克之间的九带犰狳；将其处死、解剖并进行组织病理学检查。此外，在无菌条件下切除其中一只的右侧腹股沟淋巴结，采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）、直接涂片检查、小鼠足垫试验、实验室培养基培养以及组织病理学检查等方法检测麻风分枝杆菌。在犰狳死亡时采集血液，检测针对酚糖脂-1（PGL-1）的IgM抗体。根据腹股沟淋巴结的PCR研究，30只犰狳中有16只（53.3%）有麻风分枝杆菌感染证据。在2只（6.7%）患有晚期播散性疾病的动物中，发现了高水平的针对PGL-1的IgM抗体以及腹股沟淋巴结中可识别的瘤型肉芽肿。根据尸检研究，全身性麻风病的患病率为13.3%，根据耳部组织的组织病理学检查为3.3%。组织中麻风分枝杆菌的存在在早期并未引起特殊的组织反应。2只动物中疾病的传播模式与皮内感染实验动物中发现的模式非常相似。通过刺扎接种麻风分枝杆菌引发感染仍然是一种明显的可能性。
