PROGRESSION OF ALEUTIAN DISEASE IN NATURAL AND EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCEDINFECTIONS OF MINK

Objective-To study temporal changes in amounts of viral DNA in blood l eukocytes over long periods, and to determine whether severity of the disease is greater in experimentally induced, compared with natural, i nfection. Animals-18 naturally and 6 experimentally infected black min k; 26 naturally infected brown mink. Procedure-Polymerase chain reacti on amplification to detect viral DNA in blood and counter-immune elect rophoresis to detect serum antibody were performed at regular interval s. Results-In naturally infected black mink, amounts of viral DNA were initially high, but after the appearance of antibody, viral DNA fluct uated and, in some instances, was undetectable. In other mink, small a mounts of viral DNA were infrequently detected during the course of th e infection. Amounts of viral DNA in leukocytes in late stages of the disease correlated with renal lesions in brown mink, but black mink ha d more severe lesions associated with smaller amounts of viral DNA. Se verity of the disease was not enhanced in experimentally inoculated bl ack mink. Conclusions-After infection, leukocyte viral DNA is initiall y present in large amounts, but, in most mink, decreases markedly in a ssociation with the appearance of antibody. There is no difference in the progression and severity of the disease between black mink infecte d experimentally or naturally. Transmission of the disease may be enha nced by use of contaminated toenail clippers for blood collection.