The Occurrence of Thermophilic Campylobacter in Mink and an Experimental Oral Infection of Pregnant Mink by Campylobacter jejuni

Abstract

The occurrence of C. jejuni in the intestinal contents of mink and in the mink feed, prepared from fresh, untreated slaughter offal, was studied. The farms and the central feeding kichens, from where the intestinal and feed samples were collected, were situated in the northwestern part of Finland. All mink samples, originating from 9 farms, and feed samples, originating from 2 central feeding kichens were negative for C. jejuni and for C. coll The only positive faecal samples were obtained from a farm, being located in the southern part of Finland.

Experimental colonization of C jejuni was followed in 10 pregnant mink during their last trimester of pregnancy. The animals colonized only transiently with C. jejuni. Five of the animals shedded Campylobacters only for 1–2 weeks after inoculation. Two experimental animals aborted. These animals were colonized at the time of abortion with C jejuni. The association of C jejuni infection to abortion was not, however, confirmed. The uterine contents or the fetuses examined were negative for Campylobacters.

Sammanfattning

Tillsammans 186 fekala prov från tio finska mink-farmer odlades för C. jejuni och C. coli under hösten 1984 och år 1985. Campylobacter kunde isolerats i fekala prov från en farm som var belägen i Södra Finland. Andra farmer var belägna i Österbotten. 36 foderprov från två österbotniska centralfoderkök undersöktes också för Campylobacter. De undersökta foderprovena innehöll obehandlat svin-, nöt- och fjäderfäslaktavfall. I inget av foderprovena kunde Campylobacter isoleras. Tio dräktiga minkar infekterades oralt med C. jejuni under den sista dräktigentstrimestern. Alla inokulerade minkar var koloniserade med Campylobacter för några veckor. Två av dessa djur aborterade. En association mellan Campylobacter-infektion och aborterna kunde inte konfirmeras.