tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post7286675636066235148..comments2023-12-16T02:39:56.603-06:00Comments on Gordon Grice: Armadillos and Leprosy in FloridaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-82806310558346128082015-08-25T10:37:33.976-05:002015-08-25T10:37:33.976-05:001. "But that could be explained by different ...1. "But that could be explained by different cooking methods, maybe?" <br />It can be. <br />In the "Armadillo Online!" website there's a page entitled "Armadillos as food" (http://armadillo-online.org/food.html), in which we read: "Armadillos are known to carry leprosy, and although the incidence level is fairly low in most regions there is still a risk of transmission if the meat is undercooked".<br />It's possible therefore that, unlike that in South America, Mexican people use a more effective cooking method; a method that eliminates the virus.<br /><br />2. "The armadillo's armor clearly doesn't protect it against large predators like these." <br />As regards the jaguar, it seems that this feline has developed its famous powerful bite precisely because its common preys ar armored animals such as armadillos, turtles and caimans.<br />However, as you see in the second picture, even the puma - which has a less powerful bite - is able to pierce the armadillo's armor. <br /><br /> DevilMaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00808561594749719016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-72694606375624366392015-08-24T16:32:20.295-05:002015-08-24T16:32:20.295-05:00Great pictures. The armadillo's armor clearly ...Great pictures. The armadillo's armor clearly doesn't protect it against large predators like these. Gordon Gricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068980330242909601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-31013674305069569832015-08-24T16:30:52.191-05:002015-08-24T16:30:52.191-05:00Yeah, that makes perfect sense. One objection that...Yeah, that makes perfect sense. One objection that comes to mind is the low incidence of leprosy in Mexico, where apparently many people eat armadillos. But that could be explained by different cooking methods, maybe?Gordon Gricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068980330242909601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-50753702173739964182015-08-24T00:55:46.594-05:002015-08-24T00:55:46.594-05:00Here are some picutes of predators taking nine-ban...Here are some picutes of predators taking nine-banded armadillos:<br />1. http://www.arkive.org/jaguar/panthera-onca/image-G16806.html<br /><br />2. http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/Puma_con_armadillo.jpg?1398779931<br /><br />3. http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/files/2013/10/get-attachcapaspx.jpg<br /><br />4. http://www.imagesource.com/Doc/IS0/Media/TR3_WATERMARKED/8/8/b/e/IS0997XJ0.jpg<br /><br />5. https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6150/5976303672_09b4a1ea4e_b.jpgDevilMaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00808561594749719016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-219123203291629212015-08-24T00:03:26.392-05:002015-08-24T00:03:26.392-05:00Even if the other species were not carriers of lep...Even if the other species were not carriers of leprosy, the wide spread of the nine-banded armadillo in South America (from Colombia to Uruguay and northern Argentina) and - as I already said - the habit of the locals to eat its meat, might still explain the high incidence of the disease in this continent.<br />Of course, it's just a hypothesis.DevilMaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00808561594749719016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-1503978190840927232015-08-23T21:32:29.945-05:002015-08-23T21:32:29.945-05:00I'm not sure. The work described here is all s...I'm not sure. The work described here is all specific to the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus).I don't know whether other armadillos carry the disease. Gordon Gricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068980330242909601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8049832311913108906.post-58506980570087694162015-08-23T20:21:43.029-05:002015-08-23T20:21:43.029-05:00"Truman resolve my confusion: "People do..."Truman resolve my confusion: "People do eat quite a lot of armadillo".<br />So, the high prevalence of leprosy in South America (especially in Brazil) might be due to the fact they eat a lot of armadillo's meat.<br />If I'm not mistaken, in Brazil there are 3 species of armadillo and all three are usually eaten by the locals.<br /><br />DevilMaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00808561594749719016noreply@blogger.com