First finding of Streptococcus phocae infections in mink (Neovison vison)

doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.07.015

Research in Veterinary Science

Volume 139, October 2021, Pages 145-151

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.07.015 Get rights and content

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Highlights

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First reporting of Streptococcus phocae isolated from infections in farmed mink.
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S. phocae was associated with dermal infections in mink.
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S. phocae was associated with respiratory infections and septicaemia in mink and harbor seals.
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Whole genome sequencing analysis showed that the mink isolates and one seal isolate were closely related.

Abstract

Streptococcus phocae infection has been described in salmon, sea otters, and several families of pinnipeds. The pathology of the infected animals has mainly been located in the respiratory tract and reproductive system, and with indications of septicemia. In this study, we report the finding of S. phocae in diagnostic material from three unrelated cases of farmed mink. Since S. phocae initially has been described in pinnipeds, two isolates from wild harbor seals were included. All isolates originated from Denmark. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. phocae infection in mink.

The animals (three mink, two seals) were necropsied, and samples were collected for bacteriology, virology, and histopathology. Additionally, the S. phocae isolates were whole genome sequenced and compared to sequences of previously reported isolates from other host species.

S. phocae was isolated from the lungs of one mink and one seal with bacteremia, and from one seal with pneumonia. The two remaining mink had dermal infections on the paws and S. phocae was isolated from the lesions. The analysis of the sequence data showed that the three mink isolates and one seal isolate were closely related.

Further investigation is needed to conclude whether S. phocae is establishing as commensal in farmed mink and to uncover the infection related pathology in mink. Streptococcus phocae has been described as an emerging pathogen in other species, therefore future awareness and surveillance of this pathogen is crucial.

Keywords

S. phocae

Mink

Harbor seal

Phoca vitulina

Whole genome sequencing

Pathology

Cited by (0)

¹: Present address: DTU National food institute, Research group for Microbiology and Hygiene, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.

²: Present address: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.

³: Present address: DTU Bioenginering, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.

⁴: Present address: Section of Pathology, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

⁵: Present address: Novozymes A/S, Microbial Safety, Bagsværd, Denmark

⁶: Present address: National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden.