leprosy, are skin sores that are pale in color, lumps, or bumps that do not go away after several weeks or months; nerve damage, which can lead to sensory loss in the limbs; as well as muscle weakness. Symptoms usually take 3-5 years following exposure to manifest. However, some individuals do not show symptoms until 20 years after exposure to the bacterium. Such a long incubation period makes diagnosis based on an individual's estimated exposure to the pathogen difficult.

In armadillos, Mycobacterium leprae causes a disseminated infection