The polymorphisms of the Nramp-1 gene have been linked to susceptibility to tuberculosis and leprosy in human populations; therefore, the fact that human Nramp-1 can fully complement the defect in mvl makes D. melanogaster an attractive in vivo model system for Nramp-1 functions in different human infections [279,280]. Here, SLC11A1 is linked to leprosy.