Giant Kidney Worms in Mink from New York: Prevalence, Distribution, and Health Implications

Abstract

We examined 612 wild Neovison vison (Mink) carcasses collected during 1998–2002 from New York State for presence of Dioctophyme renale (Giant Kidney Worm). Twenty-three Mink (15 males and 8 females) contained the parasite in the right kidney. The percentage of infected Mink (3.8%) was considerably lower than was found in Ontario (48%) and Minnesota (27%), but higher than in Manitoba (1%) and North Dakota (<1%). We found a clustered distribution of Giant Kidney Worms in Mink; all infections were located in the northern and central areas of the state and were restricted to a few physiographic and hydrological regions. Left kidneys were enlarged in parasitized Mink, but other condition measures (body and omentum weights, body weight:length ratio, and hepatic metal concentrations) did not differ between infected and non-infected animals when adjusted for gender, age, and capture location. This assessment indicated that Giant Kidney Worms have a minimal impact on Mink health; however, it should be viewed with caution because animals severely affected by infection may have been less susceptible to trapping. Future research should focus on the impact of infections on long-term health and mortality of Mink and the ecological requirements of Giant Kidney Worms and hosts to understand why infections are clustered in certain areas.