Leprosy identified in Chimpanzees

[Catherine]

A recent study of chimps has identified some of them as infected with Leprosy. The infections were found in chimps in Guinea-Bissau and the Ivory Coast.
Leprosy is an ancient disease originating in India thousands of years ago. Mostly it has been a human disease. However there is leprosy in Armadillos in the southern USA and in red squirrels in the UK. 
The chimps were studied using  cameras. When the images were studied later some chimps were observed to have leprosy lesions on their faces.
The lesions progressed over time the same as the disease does in humans.  It is not yet clear how the chimps became infected.
Leprosy is treatable in humans. It is not so easy in chimps. How do you get regular doses of medication into wild chimps.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/14/africa/wi...index.html


https://www.science.org/content/article/...himpanzees


This is distressing news. Chimps are already struggling to survive. 
Strangely the chimps do not have the primary strain that is observed in humans.
Our understanding of Leprosy may not be as complete as we thought.  There could be another source of the disease that has infected the chimps.
That has yet to be determined.
Treatment has yet to be determined, if it is even possible.

This is a new and ongoing story so hopefully we will learn more in future.