Leprosy has been present in the Americas for more than 1,000 years, long before the arrival of European settlers, according to a groundbreaking new finding published this week in the journal Science.

An international collaboration of scientists, including Colorado State University mycobacteria researchers, find DNA from an enigmatic bacterium in 1000-year-old skeletons.

The Avanzi Lab’s Ria Janapati wins CVMBS College Honors for her research titled, “Comparing qPCR Detection of Mycobacterium leprae in Human and Armadillo Samples” at CURC 2025.

Florida has seen an increase in cases of leprosy, the ancient disease that can cause nerve damage in humans. Avoid contact with burrows, said Charlotte Avanzi, a Colorado State University researcher who specializes in leprosy.

To better understand who’s at risk and to prevent leprosy infections in Florida, about 10 scientists from the University of Florida, Colorado State University and Emory University in Atlanta teamed up last year to investigate.

An international team, including CSU Mycobacteria Research Labs assistant professor Charlotte Avanzi, utilized archaeological findings to identify red squirrels in medieval England as hosts for Mycobacterium leprae.

Dr. Charlotte Avanzi discusses her 10-year history of leprosy research and why the bacteria responsible for the disease fascinates her.

The first World Leprosy Day Symposium was organized by the Mycobacterium Research Labs at Colorado State University.

An international team has identified leprosy in wild chimpanzees in the West African countries of Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast.