title: Naturally occurring Influenza A virus subtype H1N2 infection in a Midwest United States mink (Mustela vison) ranch.
abstract: Influenza A virus (FLUAV) causes acute respiratory disease in humans and a variety of animal species. The virus tends to remain within the species of origin; nonetheless, naturally occurring cross-species transmission of FLUAV has been periodically documented. Multiple cross-species transmissions of FLUAV have been reported from companion animals and captive wild animals, neither of which is historically considered as natural hosts of FLUAV. In the fall of 2010, mink (Mustela vison) inhabiting a 15,000-head mink farm in the Midwest United States experienced persistent severe respiratory distress and nose and/or mouth bleeding. Mink losses averaged approximately 10 animals per day. Six dead mink at 6 months of age were submitted to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for diagnostic investigation. Gross and microscopic examinations revealed that all 6 mink had hemorrhagic bronchointerstitial pneumonia. Hemolytic Escherichia coli was isolated from lungs, probably accounting for hemorrhagic pneumonia. All animals tested negative for Canine distemper virus and Aleutian mink disease virus. Interestingly, FLUAV of H1N2 subtype, which contained the matrix gene of swine lineage, was detected in the lungs. Serological follow-up on mink that remained in the ranch until pelting also confirmed that the ranch had been exposed to FLUAV of H1 subtype (δ clade). The case study suggests that FLUAV should be included in the differential diagnosis when mink experience epidemics of respiratory disease. Since the source of FLUAV appeared to be uncooked turkey meat, feeding animals fully cooked ration should be considered as a preventive measure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. kyoon@iastate.edu
authors.forename: Kyoung-Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Kent
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jianqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D057221:Influenza A Virus, H1N2 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008907:Mink / Q000821:virology*; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006388:Hemagglutinins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D009439:Neuraminidase