Squirrels with Leprosy

Leprosy is a historical disease that has been around for thousands of years. In medieval England, leprosy was a fact of life, with hundreds of care facilities on the outskirts of towns. Although not life-threatening, leprosy is caused by a bacterial infection and visibly damages skin and nerves, making the disease one of deformity rather than death. While rates of leprosy in humans drastically decreased long ago, leprosy has recently been discovered in squirrels in the UK.

Bishop instructing clerics that have leprosy

A paper published on the 10th announced that two strains of leprosy-causing bacteria have been discovered in a red squirrel population in the UK. Previously, only humans and armadillos had been found susceptible to leprosy. One strain found in the squirrels is highly related to the strain that infected people in medieval Europe. Scientists aren't exactly sure how the squirrels became infected with leprosy, but they believe the disease may have been passed between squirrels and humans. This is similar to the few cases of leprosy in the southern U.S. that were transmitted to humans from armadillos. Yet, there is no serious need to fear becoming infected with leprosy, since the disease is now very treatable with antibiotics, and the bacterial strains carrying the disease are quite fragile and often die within a few hours after removal from their hosts.

Squirrel showing signs of leprosy on its ear and muzzle

Link to review article: http://www.popsci.com/medieval-strain-leprosy-found-in-red-squirrels-in-uk