As with all other wild Palm Beach animals, one of the most common questions that people ask when they see an armadillo in the vicinity is whether or not they carry any kind of diseases. This is not a bad question to ask especially with so many diseases flying around. You can never be too careful with a strange looking wild Florida animal around. It is important to get the facts straight regarding the armadillo.



Diseases The answer to the title question is yes. Armadillos do carry diseases. One of the most common diseases that you will find in Palm Beach armadillo is actually leprosy. There is a link that exists between the human infection and the one on armadillos but this hasn’t been tested heavily. However, there is still a big risk involved and it is better to be safe than sorry. So far as the wild animals are concerned, we all are not comfortable to have them at home as neither a pet nor we want them near about us anyway. This is just because of many common reasons. In Florida, some tests were carried out on armadillos and it was discovered that there was actually a percentage of 53 that tested positive for leprosy. The symptoms that are usually associated with the disease include:
• Nerve damage
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness
• Skin lesions

The Palm Beach armadillo is the only animal that can transmit the disease and this happens when they attack you with the claws. In some cases, it is possible for them to carry rabies. It us a rare thing when compared to other Florida animal species. The rabies virus progressively paralyzes and then kills mammals and this includes humans. Generally, the disease is contracted when one comes into contact with an armadillo that has been infected and transmitted through bites. The armadillo will rarely bite meaning that it is much easier to get the disease through other Florida animals than from the armadillo. If you see an armadillo that is too fearless when around humans or is too active in the day, it could be with disease. Avoid getting into contact with the animal and if help is needed, call the professionals.

Tapeworms are other things that affect Palm Beach armadillos are tapeworms. These are parasites found within the digestive system and they can affect humans too. People affected by the tapeworm can fall ill with chills, vomiting, fever and diarrhea. It can also affect the blood and in some cases can lead to death.

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