Mita Eva Sengupta1,2, Sussie Pagh3, Anna-Sofie Stensgaard1,4, Mariann Chriel2, Heidi Huus Petersen5. 1. Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department for Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. 2. Centre for Diagnostic, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark. 3. Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark. 4. Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 5. Centre for Diagnostic, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark. hhpet@dtu.dk.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in farmed and feral mink in Denmark. METHODS: We examined meat juice from 235 feral mink and 306 farmed mink for T. gondii antibodies, and faecal samples from 113 feral mink and 166 farmed mink for Cryptosporidium oocyst excretion. Meat juice was analysed using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and oocyst excretion was identified by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. RESULTS: All farmed mink tested sero-negative, while 53.6% of feral mink were T. gondii sero-positive. The probability of being sero-positive for T. gondii was not associated with recent escapes from farms (p = 0.468), but was significantly higher for male feral mink (64.2%) than female feral mink (42.5%) (p = 0.0008). Only one feral mink and four farmed mink (2.4%) excreted Cryptosporidium oocysts. CONCLUSION: Farmed mink were all T. gondii sero-negative, whereas approximately half the feral mink were sero-positive. Cryptosporidium prevalence in farmed and feral mink were low. Overall, the public health risk of transmission of these two parasites via mink in Denmark is low.
PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in farmed and feral mink in Denmark. METHODS: We examined meat juice from 235 feral mink and 306 farmed mink for T. gondii antibodies, and faecal samples from 113 feral mink and 166 farmed mink for Cryptosporidium oocyst excretion. Meat juice was analysed using a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and oocyst excretion was identified by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen method. RESULTS: All farmed mink tested sero-negative, while 53.6% of feral mink were T. gondii sero-positive. The probability of being sero-positive for T. gondii was not associated with recent escapes from farms (p = 0.468), but was significantly higher for male feral mink (64.2%) than female feral mink (42.5%) (p = 0.0008). Only one feral mink and four farmed mink (2.4%) excreted Cryptosporidium oocysts. CONCLUSION: Farmed mink were all T. gondii sero-negative, whereas approximately half the feral mink were sero-positive. Cryptosporidium prevalence in farmed and feral mink were low. Overall, the public health risk of transmission of these two parasites via mink in Denmark is low.
Authors: A S Stensgaard; M E Sengupta; M Chriel; S T Nielsen; H H Petersen Journal: Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl Date: 2022-03-15 Impact factor: 2.674