Lepromatous meningoencephalitis in the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus).

The brains from 10 nine-banded armadillos with lepromatous leprosy were studied histopathologically. All of them showed evidence of lepromatous meningitis. In two there was invasion by Mycobacterium leprae into the brain tissue, with neuronal cells and glial cells containing intracellular bacilli. To our knowledge, this is the first report of meningoencephalitis in a lepromatous nine-banded armadillo.