Case Report

Three Indigenous Cases of Leprosy in the Mississippi Delta

Authors: John M. Abide, MD, Risa M. Webb, MD, Harriet L. Jones, MD, LaFarra Young, MD

Abstract

Three native-born patients from the Mississippi Delta presented with leprosy over a 13-month period. None had a history of foreign travel, contact with each other, or known leprosy patients. Two patients’ lesions lacked anesthesia, and all had a history of armadillo exposure. These cases add to the association of armadillo exposure and the subsequent development of leprosy.


Key Points


* Leprosy may be spread to humans via armadillo exposure.


* Leprosy may present clinically with a variety of skin findings, including lack of anesthesia.

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