# Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Wild European and American Mink (Mustela lutreola and Neogale vison) from Spain

## TL;DR

This study examines how common Toxoplasma gondii infection is in wild mink in Spain and suggests that American mink could help monitor public health risks.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into T. gondii seroprevalence in wild mink populations and their potential as sentinel species.

## Key findings

- Antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 47 out of 179 mink specimens.
- No significant associations were found between seropositivity and species, sex, or habitat.
- Environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts is suggested in northern Spain.

## Abstract

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii, affects a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Domestic and wild felines serve as definitive hosts, excreting oocysts that contaminate the environment. Intermediate hosts, such as the endangered European mink (Mustela lutreola) and the non-native American mink (Neogale vison), can become infected primarily through the ingestion of tissue cysts present in prey, while the ingestion of oocysts from contaminated soil or water plays a secondary role. This study analyzed the seroprevalence of T. gondii in 179 mink specimens (137 American mink and 42 European mink) collected in northern Spain from 2014 to 2020. Using an optimized indirect immunofluorescence assay, antibodies against T. gondii were detected in 47 samples (37 American mink and 10 European mink). Seroprevalence was higher in the Ebro basin than in the Cantabrian region, although the difference was not statistically significant. No significant associations were observed between seropositivity and species, sex, or habitat. These findings suggest environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts in northern Spain and underscore the potential value of invasive American mink as sentinel species for monitoring public health risks associated with this parasite. The study also highlights the importance of wildlife surveillance in assessing environmental contamination and understanding transmission dynamics of infectious diseases in ecosystems.