Research: dozens of infestations on mink farms

At least 66 employees and family members have been infected in outbreaks on mink farms. That is 68 percent of the total number of people tested at the farms, according to an extensive Dutch investigation into the outbreak at sixteen farms. The total number of infections on farms may be much higher, because at least fifty of the 128 mink farms in the Netherlands are infected.

Certainly in a number of cases the virus has been transmitted from mink to humans. The outbreak on mink farms is therefore more serious than expected. Minister Schouten (Agriculture) initially did not estimate the risk of mink contamination on humans.

The research was published early this month on a website for life sciences. The scientists suspect that the virus had been circulating in mink populations for some time before it spread to humans. The virus also mutated widely among minks; on average once every two weeks.

‘Cat possible cause’

The scientists do not have a direct explanation for the fact that the virus spread from breeding to breeding in May and June, when the outbreak was contained nationally. They list infected farm visitors or feral cats as possible causes.

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority is now also an investigation started looking for possible intentional infections.

‘Missing link spread’

The research has virtually established that mink can be regarded as a reservoir for the virus. Virologist and research leader Marion Koopmans of Erasmus MC denies de Volkskrant that the fur industry may be the “missing link” that contributed to the jump from animals to humans in China. “This could be a plausible intermediate step in the virus’ journey from bats to humans,” she says.

Because of the outbreaks on the farms, should be in March next year all breeding farms in the Netherlands stop. The ‘fur period’ begins in November and once all minks have been killed and their fur removed, the breeders are not allowed to put any new animals in their cages.

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