Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), which causes Aleutian disease, is widely spread both in farmed mink and wild mustelids. However, only limited data are available on the role of wild animals in AMDV transmission and spread. Our aim was to shed light on AMDV transmission among wild mustelids and estimate the effect of intense farming practices on the virus circulation by studying AMDV prevalence and genetic diversity among wild mustelids in Poland. We compared AMDV seroprevalence and proportion of PCR-positive individuals in American mink, polecats, otters, stone martens, and pine martens and used the phylogenetic analysis of the NS1 region to study transmission. In addition, we used a metagenomic approach to sequence complete AMDV genomes from tissue samples. In eastern Poland, AMDV seroprevalence in wild mustelids varied from 22 per cent in otters to 62 per cent and 64 per cent in stone martens and feral mink, respectively. All studied antibody-positive mink were also PCR positive, whereas only 10, 15, and 18 per cent of antibody-positive polecats, pine martens, and stone martens, respectively, were PCR positive, suggesting lower virus persistence among these animal species as compared to feral mink. In phylogenetic analysis, most sequences from feral mink formed region-specific clusters that have most likely emerged through multiple introductions of AMDV to feral mink population over decades. However, virus spread between regions was also observed. Virus sequences derived from farmed and wild animals formed separate subclusters in the phylogenetic tree, and no signs of recent virus transmission between farmed and wild animals were observed despite the frequent inflow of farmed mink escapees to wild populations. These results provide new information about the role of different mustelid species in AMDV transmission and about virus circulation among the wild mustelids. In addition, we pinpoint gaps of knowledge, where more studies are needed to achieve a comprehensive picture of AMDV transmission.

中文翻译：

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阿留申群岛水貂病病毒在野生和养殖的美洲水貂和本地貂中的多样性和传播

引起阿留申病的阿留申水貂病病毒 (AMDV) 在养殖水貂和野生貂中广泛传播。然而，关于野生动物在 AMDV 传播和传播中的作用的可用数据有限。我们的目标是阐明 AMDV 在野生芥类中的传播，并通过研究波兰野生芥类中的 AMDV 流行率和遗传多样性来估计集约化耕作方式对病毒传播的影响。我们比较了美洲水貂、鸡貂、水獭、石貂和松貂中 AMDV 血清阳性率和 PCR 阳性个体的比例，并使用 NS1 区域的系统发育分析来研究传播。此外，我们使用宏基因组学方法从组织样本中对完整的 AMDV 基因组进行测序。在波兰东部，野生鼬科动物中的 AMDV 血清阳性率分别从水獭的 22% 到石貂和野貂的 62% 和 64% 不等。所有研究的抗体阳性水貂也是 PCR 阳性，而抗体阳性的鸡貂、松貂和石貂分别只有 10%、15% 和 18% 是 PCR 阳性，这表明与相比之下，这些动物物种的病毒持久性较低到野貂。在系统发育分析中，大多数来自野生水貂的序列形成了特定区域的簇，这些簇很可能是通过几十年来多次将 AMDV 引入到野生水貂种群中而出现的。但是，也观察到病毒在区域之间传播。来自养殖和野生动物的病毒序列在系统发育树中形成了独立的亚群，尽管养殖水貂逃逸者经常流入野生种群，但近期未观察到养殖动物和野生动物之间病毒传播的迹象。这些结果提供了有关不同芥类动物在 AMDV 传播中的作用以及病毒在野生芥类动物之间传播的新信息。此外，我们指出了知识差距，需要更多研究才能全面了解 AMDV 传播情况。