EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF DOMESTIC FERRETS (MUSTELA PUTORIUS FURO) AND SIBERIAN POLECATS (MUSTELA EVERSMANNI) WITH YERSINIA PESTIS

Animal infections with SARS-CoV-2 have been reported in different countries and several animal species have been proven to be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 both naturally and by experimental infection. Moreover, infections under natural conditions in more than 20 mink farms have been reported where humans could have been the source of infection for minks. However, little information is available about the susceptibility of pet animals under natural conditions and currently there is no SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological assessment occurrence in household ferrets. In this study, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was evaluated in serum samples obtained from 127 household ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) in the Province of Valencia (Spain). Two ferrets tested positive to SARS-CoV-2 (1.57%) by in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on receptor binding domain (RBD) of Spike antigen. Furthermore, anti-RBD SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persisted at detectable levels in a seropositive SARS-CoV-2 domestic ferret beyond 129 days since the first time antibodies were detected. This study reports for the first time the evidence of household pet ferrets exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in Spain to date.

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Dracunculus insignis: experimental infection in the ferret,Mustela putorius furo

Journal of Helminthology ◽

10.1017/s0022149x00011640 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 62 (3) ◽

pp. 265-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

M. L. Eberhard ◽

E. Ruiz-Tiben ◽

S. V. Wallace

Keyword(s):

Animal Model ◽

Laboratory Study ◽

Experimental Infection ◽

Laboratory Animal ◽

Gravid Female ◽

Mustela Putorius ◽

Infective Larvae ◽

The North ◽

Gravid Females ◽

Mustela Putorius Furo

ABSTRACTThe laboratory study of dracunculiasis has suffered from the lack of a suitable, readily available animal model. We have been able to experimentally infect ferrets,Mustela putorius furo, with the North American dracunculid,Dracunculus insignis. Ferrets were inoculated with 75 to 100 infective larvae and were necropsied 90 to 240 days later. Guinea worms were recovered from 10 (56%) of 18 ferrets. A total of 44 worms were recovered, for an average of 4.4 worms per infected ferret. Gravid female worms were recovered as early as 128 days postinoculation. Thirteen (87%) of 15 gravid female worms were recovered from the extremities. Living male worms were recovered at 200 days of age, indicating that not all male worms die shortly after mating. First-stage larvae recovered from gravid females as early as 200 days of age were found to be infective to the copepod.Acanthocyclops vernalis. These observations suggest that the ferret is an excellent laboratory animal for dracunculiasis research.

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Coronaviren als Ursache einer systemischen granulomatösen Entzündung bei einem Frettchen (Mustela putorius furo)

Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe K Kleintiere / Heimtiere ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1622739 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 37 (01) ◽

pp. 40-44

Author(s):

C. Maresch ◽

A. Bracke ◽

D. Bröker ◽

A. Kirchhoff ◽

J. P. Teifke

Keyword(s):

Sich Eine ◽

Mustela Putorius ◽

Granulomatöse Entzündung ◽

Mustela Putorius Furo

Zusammenfassung Gegenstand: Ein 3 Jahre altes weibliches Frettchen (Mustela putorius furo) wurde mit vergrößerten Kopflymphknoten bei ungestörtem Allgemeinbefinden vorgestellt. Im weiteren Verlauf kam es zu einer syste-mischen Schwellung der Körperlymphknoten und zu einer Vergrößerung der Milz bei zunehmender Verschlechterung des Allgemeinbefindens. Material und Methoden: Nach klinischer und ultrasonographischer Untersuchung wurden Feinnadelaspirate von Milz und Lymphknoten gewonnen und zytologisch untersucht. Die Milz und ein geschwollener Kniekehllymphknoten wurden entnommen und histopathologisch sowie immunhistologisch auf Gruppe-1-Coronavirusantigen untersucht. Ergebnisse: Zytopathologisch war eine reaktive Hyperplasie der vergrößerten Milz und des Lymphknotens nachweisbar. Histopathologisch fanden sich eine herdförmige pyogranulomatöse Splenitis sowie eine granulomatöse Lymphadenitis. Coronavirusantigen konnte in Makrophagen von Milz und Lymphknoten nachgewiesen werden. Schlussfolgerung: Als Ursache für die granulomatöse Entzündung wird die systemische Coronavirusinfektion der Frettchen (FSCV) angesehen, die vermutlich durch einen mit dem enteralen Coronavirus der Frettchen (FECV) eng verwandten Erreger hervorgerufen wird.

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