Biosecurity Brief
Is the fur industry a threat to public health?
A number of scientific studies have raised concerns that fur farming may contribute to the risk of zoonotic disease, i.e., a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans. According to the World Health Organization, 75% of emerging pathogens are zoonotic in origin, underscoring the need to strengthen biosecurity at the human-animal interface.
Viruses Harboured by Animals Farmed for Fur (source: Zhao et al, 2024)
125 Viruses Identified in Fur Farms in China
A recent scientific study identified 125 different virus species associated with animals farmed for their fur in China - the largest global producer of fur. The study analysed tissue samples from 461 individual fur animals that were found dead due to disease and obtained primarily from breeding facilities in China. Of the viruses characterised, 36 were found to be novel and 39 at potentially high risk of cross-species transmission, including 11 zoonotic viruses. Notably, the study identified seven species of coronaviruses and three subtypes of influenza A virus leading the authors to conclude that:
“...fur farming represents an important transmission hub for viral zoonoses” (Zhao et. al., 2024).
Viruses Harboured by Animals Farmed for Fur (source: Zhao et al, 2024)
Fur Farming and Coronavirus
The study also found that raccoon dogs and mink carried the highest number of potentially high risk viruses. Previous studies have determined that animals farmed for fur, especially mink, are highly susceptible to infection by viruses that also infect humans. This became evident early in the Covid-19 pandemic, as SARS-CoV-2 spread through mink farms across Europe. By late January 2021, SARS-CoV-2 infection had been reported in 400 mink farms across eight countries in the European Union, with 290 farms impacted in Denmark, 69 in the Netherlands, and the remainder in France, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Spain and Sweden. The situation in Denmark led the government to implement a nationwide cull of all farmed mink and a temporary cessation of mink farming. Fortunately, mink-adapted variants identified in 2020 did not pose an increased risk to humans. However, SAR-CoV-2 viruses have continued to circulate in farmed mink and could present a risk for re-emergence of the virus in humans.
Where have SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks on mink fur farms occurred?
Fur Farming and Bird Flu
Mink farms have also experienced outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus, otherwise known as bird flu. An outbreak of avian influenza on a mink farm in Spain was reported in January 2023. Genetic sequencing showed that the animals were infected with a new variant of the virus that included a genetic change known to increase the ability of viruses to reproduce in mammals.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos or THL) reported in 2023 that avian influenza had spread to 21 fur farms in Finland. In two farms, viruses with mutations that enhance viral replication in mammalian cells were detected. Studies of the genome of the virus suggest that wild birds may have been the source of the infection. The Director of THL warned that fur farming presents a significant pandemic threat:
“The issue has broader significance than just national significance. International health authorities and researchers also fear that mammalian adaptation will, in the worst case, lead to the emergence of a pandemic caused by a new influenza virus in humans” (THL, 2023)
No human infections were detected during the Finnish outbreak and the Finnish Food Authority initiated control and prevention measures to improve biosecurity on fur farms. However, ensuring compliance with biosecurity measures is challenging with inspections of Finnish fur farms revealing deficiencies in over a third of inspected farms. Even with strict adherence to biosecurity measures, virologists have expressed concerns that the risk posed by mink farming requires high-containment measures which a fur farm would be unlikely to achieve.
Why are mink high risk?
Mink and ferrets belong to the same family of mustelids and are known to be susceptible to influenza viruses that also infect humans, which is why ferrets are frequently used as a model organism for studying airborne transmissibility of influenza viruses. Mink exhibit similar susceptibility and the dense population of mink in fur farms create high risk conditions for viruses to spread and potentially mutate. Virologists have raised concerns that given the high-density environment of mink farming and the susceptibility of mink to infection by both human and avian influenza viruses, governments should strongly consider banning fur farming:
“We strongly urge governments to also consider the mounting evidence suggesting that fur farming, particularly mink, be eliminated in the interest of pandemic preparedness.” (Peacock & Barclay, 2023)
Virologists have further argued that given the conditions on mink farms and the potential for viruses to evolve in such an environment, a laboratory “experiment” of a similar nature would be classed as “gain of function” research and therefore either be prohibited or performed under strict biocontainment protocols following extensive risk assessment. Biosecurity practices and surveillance at fur farms, even if improved, would be unlikely to achieve the level of biocontainment required to control the risk it presents to public health.
Antimicrobial risk
In addition to the zoonotic risk posed by fur farming, the intensive conditions that animals are kept in has also been linked to the use of antimicrobials. A recent investigation found widespread use of antibiotics on fur farms in north China which is of particular concern given that China is both a major producer of fur and a top consumer of veterinary antimicrobials. Overuse of antimicrobials in intensive animal farming is driving antimicrobial resistance, a major global public health threat. While typically associated with animal agriculture, use of antibiotics in fur farming is a growing concern and an understudied area.
Should Fur Farming Be Banned Due To Pandemic Risk? ** TO BE CHANGED **
Mink and ferrets belong to the same family of mustelids and are known to be susceptible to influenza viruses, which is why ferrets are frequently used as a model organism for studying airborne transmissibility of influenza viruses. Mink exhibit similar susceptibility, and the dense population of mink in fur farms creates ideal conditions for viruses to spread and potentially mutate. Virologists have raised concerns that, given the high-density environment of mink farming and the susceptibility of mink to infection by human-relevant viruses, governments should strongly consider banning fur farming, particularly mink, in the interest of pandemic preparedness (Peacock & Barclay, 2023).
Further Reading
Fur Biosecurity Data Visuals
Understand the public health risks of fur farming via our infographics.