Comparison of the lesions of Aleutian disease in mink and hypergammaglobulinemia in ferrets.

Gross and microscopic lesions of Aleutian disease (AD) in mink and hypergammaglobulinemia in ferrets were compared. Both conditions were characterized by widespread proliferation of plasma cells, but proliferation was more prominent in mink infected with AD. Arteritis did not occur in hypergammaglobulinemic ferrets. Minimal or no glomerular alterations occurred in infected ferrets, but were severe in mink infected with AD. Bile duct proliferation was more prominent in diseased mink. Tissue alterations suggested that AD in Aleutian genotype mink is more rapidly progressive than is AD in ferrets, causing overt clinical disease and death. In contrast, hypergammaglobulinemia in ferrets appeared to progress more slowly, with little clinical evidence of disease. This is probably the result of a paucity of glomerular lesions in ferrets. Possible mechanisms to explain the differences in the development of lesions are discussed.