Outbreaks of pseudomonas pneumonia in unvaccinated mink

摘要

Much has been written about pseudomonas, or, as it is frequently called, hemorrhagic pneumonia. The cause, source of the disease, transmission, preventive vaccination and treatment are fairly well established. I thought it would be interesting to turn back the pages for present day mink farmers and describe the first United States outbreaks that occurred on farms before there was a vaccine. Dr. Seth Osborn, a mink rancher from Waterville, Minnesota, reported a "mysterious mink disease" that appearedon his farm (American Fur Breeder, 1954). He said that he lost 8,590 mink that looked healthy in the evening and were found dead the following morning with blood coming out their noses. He took some of the dead mink to the Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Minnesota and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria was found to be the cause of death.