Detection of Anti–Leishmania infantum Antibodies in Wild European and American Mink (Mustela lutreola and Neovison vison) from Northern Spain, 2014-20

Giner, Jacobo ; Villanueva-Saz, Sergio (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Fernandez, Antonio (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Gomez, Maria Asuncion ; Podra, Madis ; Lizarraga, Patricia ; Lacasta, Delia (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Ruiz, Hector (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; del Carmen Aranda, Maria ; Angeles Jimenez, Maria de los ; Hernandez, Raquel ; Yzuel, Andres ; Verde, Maite (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is listed as a critically endangered species because of ongoing population reduction from habitat degradation and the effects of introduced species, such as American mink (Neovison vison). This small, fragmented population becomes vulnerable to many other threats, including diseases. Leishmaniosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum found in the Mediterranean area, which affects many mammals, including wild small mammals. Furthermore, clinical disease caused by L. infantum has recently been described in other mustelids. To assess the exposure to Leishmania sp. infection in mink species in northern Spain, blood samples from 139 feral American mink and 42 native European mink from north Spain were evaluated for Leishmania sp. infection using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays against Leishmania spp. antibodies, with 52.4% of American mink and 45.3% of European mink being found seropositive. This finding raises questions regarding how the disease may affect these species and the potential repercussions for conservation efforts. Despite a high seroprevalence being observed in wild mink of both species in this study, association with clinical or pathologic signs of disease has yet to be elucidated.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00027

Año: 2022

Publicado en: Journal of wildlife diseases 58, 1 (2022), 198-204
ISSN: 0090-3558

Factor impacto JCR: 1.3 (2022)

Categ. JCR: VETERINARY SCIENCES rank: 72 / 144 = 0.5 (2022) - Q2 - T2

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 2.8 - Environmental Science (Q3) - Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.441 - Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics (Q2) - Ecology (Q2)

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Medicina y Cirugía Animal (Dpto. Patología Animal)