The Development of a Myeloma-Like Condition in Mink with Aleutian Disease

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Aleutian disease of mink, apparently of viral etiology, is characterized by an extreme diffuse proliferation of plasma cells, and a marked hypergammaglobulinemia, which is electrophoretically heterogeneous. In some mink with this disease serially followed by serum protein electrophoresis, a transition to a homogeneous myeloma-like hypergammaglobulinemia, together with the appearance of Bence Jones proteinuria, was observed late in their course. Thus, this viral disease shows plasma cell proliferation beginning as a multiclonal hyperplasia which may terminate as a monoclonal, possibly neoplastic overgrowth of the plasma cell system.