One Health response to SARS-CoV-2-associated risk from mink farming in British Columbia, Canada, October 2020 to October 2021

Clair, V; Chan, E; Paiero, A; Fraser, E; Gunvaldsen, R; Newhouse, E

doi:10.14745/ccdr.v48i06a04

Cited by 3 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Mink have short, dense, and soft fur that is supplied to fashion and clothing companies for decorating collars, hoods, shoes, scarves, and other clothing [ 48 , 67 ]. Female mink are bred annually in March and whelp in May [ 66 , 68 ]. After weaning in July, kits are transferred to individual cages until they are pelted in fall and winter [ 65 , 66 , 68 ].…”

Section: Fur Farming Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Female mink are bred annually in March and whelp in May [ 66 , 68 ]. After weaning in July, kits are transferred to individual cages until they are pelted in fall and winter [ 65 , 66 , 68 ]. Farmed mink are fed using a commercially available, pumpable wet feed made from a mixture of animal byproducts, slaughter offal, and cereals [ 69 ].…”

Section: Fur Farming Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed mink were reported for the first time in the Netherlands on two mink farms in April 2020 [ 22 , 48 ]. Soon after, SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported in mink in Spain in May 2020 [ 49 ]; in Denmark in June 2020 [ 51 , 75 ]; in the U.S. in August 2020 [ 13 ]; in Sweden [ 76 ] and Italy [ 61 ] in October 2020; in Lithuania, France, and Greece in November 2020 [ 77 ]; in Canada in December 2020 [ 52 , 68 ]; in Poland in January 2021 [ 55 ]; and in Latvia in April 2021 [ 77 ] ( Figure 1 ).…”

Section: Sars-cov-2 Outbreaks In Farmed Minkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These outbreaks are assumed to be epidemiologically linked to infected humans working on the farms, as the infection is transmitted from infected humans to mink, followed by subsequent transmission between mink and from mink to other on-farm domestic animals [ 13 , 68 , 88 ]. Serological and molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 in feral/free-roaming cats in or around infected mink farms was also positive, indicating possible spread of the virus from mink to these susceptible animals [ 89 ].…”

Section: Sars-cov-2 Outbreaks In Farmed Minkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As of early 2021, 64 active mink farms were operating in seven provinces in Canada, breeding a total of 194,000 mink [ 90 ]. Following the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection on mink farms in Europe [ 48 , 51 , 58 ], the government initiated active surveillance and monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 on mink farms in October 2020 [ 68 ]. Accordingly, following the detection of two COVID-19-positive human patients, combined with increased farmed mink mortality (<1.5%) [ 52 , 68 ], the first SARS-CoV-2 outbreak on mink farms in Canada was detected on 2 December 2020 [ 68 ].…”

Section: Sars-cov-2 Outbreaks In Farmed Minkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks on Mink Farms—A Review of Current Knowledge on Virus Infection, Spread, Spillover, and Containment

Jahid,

Bowman,

Nolting

2024

Viruses

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Many studies have been conducted to explore outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed mink and their intra-/inter-species spread and spillover to provide data to the scientific community, protecting human and animal health. Studies report anthropozoonotic introduction, which was initially documented in April 2020 in the Netherlands, and subsequent inter-/intra-species spread of SARS-CoV-2 in farmed mink, likely due to SARS-CoV-2 host tropism capable of establishing efficient interactions with host ACE2 and the mink hosts’ ability to enhance swift viral transmission due to their density, housing status, and occupational contacts. Despite the rigorous prevention and control measures adopted, transmission of the virus within and between animal species was efficient, resulting in the development of mink-associated strains able to jump back and forth among the mink hosts and other animal/human contacts. Current knowledge recognizes the mink as a highly susceptible animal host harboring the virus with or without clinical manifestations, furthering infection transmission as a hidden animal reservoir. A One Health approach is, thus, recommended in SARS-CoV-2 surveillance and monitoring on mink farms and of their susceptible contact animals to identify and better understand these potential animal hosts.

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