MELATONIN REDUCES MORTALITY FROM ALEUTIAN DISEASE IN MINK (MUSTELA-VISON)

Aleutian disease (AD) results from a persistent parvoviral infection t hat results in marked hypergammaglobulinemia and immune complex mediat ed lesions of the kidney, liver, lungs and, arteries. Melatonin protec ted both a wild type or demi strain and a demi/dark crossed strain of mink from AD. The biogenic amine also afforded protection against othe r non-diagnosed diseases naturally found on mink farms when it was ava ilable from a subcutaneously-placed reservoir. Some genetic strains of mink apparently differed in the resistance of mink to the virus and i n the protective ability of melatonin. The demi strain was the most re sistant followed by pastels, mahogany, darks, and those strains with t he double recessive Aleutian gene. The protective action of melatonin appeared to result from melatonin's ability to scavenge free radicals, but it could also be due to the induction of antioxidant enzymes or t o the modulation of immunity. Melatonin also protected mink against di stemper.