TY - JOUR
T1 - SARS-CoV-2 in Danish Mink Farms
T2 - Course of the Epidemic and a Descriptive Analysis of the Outbreaks in 2020
AU - Boklund, Anette
AU - Hammer, Anne Sofie
AU - Quaade, Michelle Lauge
AU - Rasmussen, Thomas Bruun
AU - Lohse, Louise
AU - Strandbygaard, Bertel
AU - Jørgensen, Charlotte Sværke
AU - Olesen, Ann Sofie
AU - Hjerpe, Freja Broe
AU - Petersen, Heidi Huus
AU - Jensen, Tim Kåre
AU - Mortensen, Sten
AU - Calvo-Artavia, Francisco F
AU - Lefèvre, Stine Kjær
AU - Nielsen, Søren Saxmose
AU - Halasa, Tariq
AU - Belsham, Graham J
AU - Bøtner, Anette
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - SARS-CoV-2 infection is the cause of COVID-19 in humans. In April 2020, SARS-CoV-2 infection in farmed mink (Neovision vision) occurred in the Netherlands. The first outbreaks in Denmark were detected in June 2020 in three farms. A steep increase in the number of infected farms occurred from September and onwards. Here, we describe prevalence data collected from 215 infected mink farms to characterize spread and impact of disease in infected farms. In one third of the farms, no clinical signs were observed. In farms with clinical signs, decreased feed intake, increased mortality and respiratory symptoms were most frequently observed, during a limited time period (median of 11 days). In 65% and 69% of farms, virus and sero-conversion, respectively, were detected in 100% of sampled animals at the first sampling. SARS-CoV-2 was detected, at low levels, in air samples collected close to the mink, on mink fur, on flies, on the foot of a seagull, and in gutter water, but not in feed. Some dogs and cats from infected farms tested positive for the virus. Chickens, rabbits, and horses sampled on a few farms, and wildlife sampled in the vicinity of the infected farms did not test positive for SARS-CoV-2. Thus, mink are highly susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, but routes of transmission between farms, other than by direct human contact, are unclear.
AB - SARS-CoV-2 infection is the cause of COVID-19 in humans. In April 2020, SARS-CoV-2 infection in farmed mink (Neovision vision) occurred in the Netherlands. The first outbreaks in Denmark were detected in June 2020 in three farms. A steep increase in the number of infected farms occurred from September and onwards. Here, we describe prevalence data collected from 215 infected mink farms to characterize spread and impact of disease in infected farms. In one third of the farms, no clinical signs were observed. In farms with clinical signs, decreased feed intake, increased mortality and respiratory symptoms were most frequently observed, during a limited time period (median of 11 days). In 65% and 69% of farms, virus and sero-conversion, respectively, were detected in 100% of sampled animals at the first sampling. SARS-CoV-2 was detected, at low levels, in air samples collected close to the mink, on mink fur, on flies, on the foot of a seagull, and in gutter water, but not in feed. Some dogs and cats from infected farms tested positive for the virus. Chickens, rabbits, and horses sampled on a few farms, and wildlife sampled in the vicinity of the infected farms did not test positive for SARS-CoV-2. Thus, mink are highly susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, but routes of transmission between farms, other than by direct human contact, are unclear.
KW - Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
KW - mink
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - prevalence
KW - Denmark
KW - clinical signs
KW - epidemiology
U2 - 10.3390/ani11010164
DO - 10.3390/ani11010164
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33445704
VL - 11
SP - 1
EP - 16
JO - Animals
JF - Animals
SN - 2076-2615
IS - 1
M1 - 164
ER -