Mycobacterium leprae genomes from naturally infected nonhuman primates

Mycobacterium leprae, which causes leprosy in humans, also infects nine-banded armadillos, red squirrels, and certain species of nonhuman primates. Genomic data for M. leprae strains from armadillos and red squirrels show that humans were responsible for the original introduction of M. leprae to these species. It is not known whether naturally occurring leprosy among nonhuman primates is due to incidental infection from humans or whether nonhuman primates can serve as a host for M. leprae. Here, the genomes of M. leprae strains from three naturally infected nonhuman primates are reported.