RT-qPCR Assay for Detection of Mink Astrovirus in Outbreaks of Diarrhea on Danish Mink Farms

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2021 May 26

PMID 34038467

Authors

Sofie Barsoe

Karin Ullman

Mikael Leijon

Kjell Olof Hedlund

Jonas Klingstrom

Louise Iuel Krarup

Lars Andresen

Michelle Lauge Quaade

Anne Sofie Hammer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Diarrhea in mink kits is a major cause of disease and mortality in the mink production. The etiology remains unknown in most outbreaks due to a lack of diagnostic assays. In the current study we present an RT-qPCR method to detect mink astrovirus in fecal samples from mink kits with diarrhea. All sampled animals were classified based on age and patoanatomical evaluation as having pre-weaning diarrhea, diarrhea in the growth period or as having no macroscopic signs of diarrhea. Fecal samples were analyzed for MiAstV with RT-qPCR, next generation sequencing and electron microscopy in parallel. Mink astrovirus was detected with RT-qPCR in 92 out of 203 samples. This detection was confirmed by next generation sequencing in a high proportion of samples (22/27), and by visualization of astrovirus particles with EM in some of the samples. Mink astrovirus was highly prevalent (68%) among kits in the outbreaks of pre-weaning diarrhea, in particular outbreaks from May, while less prevalent in outbreaks in June. Mink astrovirus was detected in outbreaks of diarrhea in the growth period, though in a much lesser extent than in the pre-weaning period. The role of mink astrovirus in the diarrhea disease complex of mink remain to be investigated, and for that purpose this sensitive and robust RT-qPCR can be a valuable tool in the future.

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