High Prevalence of Aleutian Mink Disease Virus in Free-ranging Mink on a Remote Danish Island

Abstract

Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) causes severe disease in farmed mink (Neovison vison) worldwide. In Denmark, AMDV in farmed mink has been confined to the northern part of the mainland since 2002. From 1998 to 2009, samples from 396 free-ranging mink were collected from mainland Denmark, and a low AMDV antibody prevalence (3% of 296) was found using countercurrent immune electrophoresis. However, on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, a high prevalence (45% of 142 mink) was detected in the free-ranging mink. Aleutian mink disease virus was detected by polymerase chain reaction in 32 of 49 antibody-positive free-ranging mink on Bornholm, but not in mink collected from other parts of Denmark. Sequence analysis of 370 base pairs of the nonstructural gene of the AMDV of 17 samples revealed two clusters with closest similarity to Swedish AMDV strains.

Aleutian mink disease virus in free-ranging mustelids in Finland – a cross-sectional epidemiological and phylogenetic study

“…In feral mink, the prevalence was similar or higher than previously reported in Europe (Fournier-Chambrillon et al, 2004;Jensen et al, 2012;Mañas et al, 2001;Yamaguchi & Macdonald, 2001). Positive polecats, a pine marten and a European otter were previously detected in Europe (Fournier-Chambrillon et al, 2004;Mañas et al, 2001).…”

“…Strains vary from apathogenic to highly pathogenic (Bloom et al, 1994). Phylogenetic analyses done for both farmed and feral mink AMDV strains show that the strains can be divided into three to six genetic groups Jensen et al, 2012;Knuuttila et al, 2009a;Leimann et al, 2015;Nituch et al, 2012;Olofsson et al, 1999;Sang et al, 2012;Schuierer et al, 1997;Wang et al, 2014). Within these groups there is no apparent clustering linked to pathogenicity (ability to cause disease) (Knuuttila et al, 2009a;Nituch et al, 2012;Olofsson et al, 1999;Schuierer et al, 1997).…”

“…Within these groups there is no apparent clustering linked to pathogenicity (ability to cause disease) (Knuuttila et al, 2009a;Nituch et al, 2012;Olofsson et al, 1999;Schuierer et al, 1997). Grouping based on geographical origin has been detected in some countries or regions Jensen et al, 2012;Nituch et al, 2012;Sang et al, 2012), but not in others 2009a, Leimann et al, 2015Wang et al, 2014). Strains from Finnish farmed mink are present in three groups, suggesting at least three separate introductions (Knuuttila et al, 2009a).…”

Aleutian mink disease virus in furbearing mammals in Nova Scotia, Canada

“…The limited published information suggests that antibody titer in wildlife is generally lower than that in the American mink [12,19,21,30], resulting in a lower sensitivity of the CIEP test in nonmink species. Differences within and among wildlife for the kinetics of antibody production and viral replication, as well as differences in the sequence of AMDV and viral sequestration have caused discrepancies between the results of PCR and CIEP tests in free-ranging American mink [7], skunks [10,12] and raccoons [12]. A combination of PCR and CIEP would improve the likelihood of detecting exposure of wildlife to AMDV.…”

“…Free-ranging American mink populations are infected with the Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) across Canada [1][2][3][4][5] and in several European countries [6][7][8][9]. The occurrence of natural infection with or exposure to AMDV in a few members of the Mustelidae family (e.g., European mink, ferrets, polecats, stone martens, pine martens, Eurasian otters), and other carnivores (striped skunks, common genets, raccoons, foxes) has also been reported [6,8,[10][11][12][13][14].…”