Isolation of Clostridium limosum from an outbreak of metritis in farmed mink.

Mia Biström,Mirja Raunio-Saarnisto,Sirpa Heinikainen,Kirsti Pelkola,Anna-Maria Moisander-Jylhä

doi:10.1186/s13028-016-0230-7

Mia Biström, Mirja Raunio-Saarnisto + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-016-0230-7

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Abstract

BackgroundAn outbreak of sudden death of pregnant farmed mink in Finland occurred during the busiest whelping period in the spring of 2013. The affected farms were all located in western Finland in a rather narrow geographic area, Ostrobothnia. Dead mink from 22 farms were submitted for laboratory diagnostics to the Finnish Food Safety Authority (Evira). The carcasses were necropsied and tissue specimens were prepared for histology. Samples of internal organs and peritoneal fluid were cultured bacteriologically.ResultsMajor pathological findings included hemorrhagic vaginal discharge, severely inflamed uteri with luminal hemorrhagic exudate and dead fetuses. Dead fetuses were present in the peritoneal cavity and associated severe peritonitis occurring as sequela of uterine rupture were found in most minks. Histological findings included hemorrhages, neutrophil infiltrations, degenerative inflammatory cells, edema, fibrin and rod-shaped bacteria on all layers of the uterine wall. In most samples abundant and pure anaerobic bacterial growth of Clostridium limosum was found.ConclusionsThis is the first report of C. limosum associated metritis in farmed mink. Disease was only observed in pregnant females and the uterus was the primary site of infection. The source of infection and the route of transmission remained unclear, but feed borne transmission was suspected.

Highlights

An outbreak of sudden death of pregnant farmed mink in Finland occurred during the busiest whelp‐ ing period in the spring of 2013
The uterus was ruptured in one or more locations in most mink leading to the presence of fetuses in the abdominal cavity, peritoneal hemorrhagic exudate and a widespread fibrinous peritonitis
The sequenced strain was later identified as C. limosum by MALDI-TOF MS (Bruker Daltonics GmbH MALDI Biotyper 3.1) with a species level score of 2.198. This is the first report of C. limosum isolated from metritis in farmed mink

Summary

Introduction

An outbreak of sudden death of pregnant farmed mink in Finland occurred during the busiest whelp‐ ing period in the spring of 2013. Clostridium limosum is a soil bacterium that is able to degrade animal tissue and cause gas gangrene [2]. It has been reported in a few cases of severe infections in both animals and man. C. limosum was isolated as a part of a mixed infection [2,3,4,5,6].

Results

Conclusion