Download Case 6: Free Living Mink

By: Charmane Thurmand
Aaron Clark
Sarah Glazier
Shauna Decker
Case 6
 Background
 3 month old mink found near
the Red Cedar River at MSU
 Exhibited signs of CNS disease
 Later determined to be blind in
both eyes
 Most significant lesions in the brain
and eyes
 Macrophages in retina
containing protozoal tachyzoites
 Inflammation throughout the body
Several macrophages in the retina containing Toxoplasma
gondii tachyzoites
Why was the immunohistochemical examination
inconclusive and how was the agent finally
determined?
Our Hypothesis
 What we think it is…
 Toxoplasmosis
 Why…
 Causes infection in eye
causing blindness (humans)
 Effects the brain in AIDS
patients
 Fairly common in the US.
Cerebrum from a mink containing encysted
protozoal bradyzoites within glial cells
What the Literature Says…
 The infectious protozoan agent…

Toxoplasma gondii
 Why…



Immunohistochemical examination with goat antibodies
against Neospora caninum and T. gondii
 Positive reactions for both parasites
PCR testing for 115bp target for T. gondii and 337 for N.
caninum
 T. gondii primers produced band while N. caninum did not
Advanced retina lesions suggest infection in utero or early
neonatal care