From anonymous poster:
>My question?  Can this sort of behavior transmit HIV to the ferrets -
>and thus onto the kits' new owners should they get bitten?  It may sound
>stupid - but ferrets are prone to the human strain of 'flu.  Can anybody
>shed some light on this?  Dr. williams - what do you think?"
 
I am not claiming to be an expert- HIV is Human Immunodefeciency Virus -
thus the Human part referring to Humans being the only species that it
infects.  Partially true because there is evidence that SIV (Simian
Immunodefeciency Virus) is genetically similar and can cross infect -
therefore, leading to the hypothesis that HIV started out in chimpanzees
and was somehow spread to humans- but remember our DNA is much more similar
to certain monkeys than other species of animals.  Although, mine might
be closer to a ferrets since they have some kind of power over me.  :)
 
So, HIV is species specific , rest assured it can not be spread to other
animals-(known as zoonotic transfer ) ( may have confused you with the
above, too much information perhaps).  The idea of a mosquito carrying
it also came up once upon a time, if that was possible we would all be
infected by now.
 
Also, in humans, the chances of getting HIV from biting someone with it
is slim, or of getting HIV from someone who has it and bites you.  Even
healthcare workers who are accidently stuck by a needle with HIV positive
blood have a 1% chance or less of getting the disease from that stick.
It is different if you are injecting that into a vein.
 
Just tired of the HIV panic- listen up- abstinence or monogamous
relationships are the key to preventing this disease, and of course,
no sharing of hypodermic needles.
 
Oh, and not going to a dentist- (waiting for someone to bring that up).  -
that was a joke- seeing as some people are panicked easily, and don't want
to be responsible for any increase in gum disease.
 
In response to the follow up post: As of lately people infected with HIV
are living longer than 15 years, 22 or more years has been documented.
Medications can be extremely expensive, but we are lucky to live in the
USA and they are usually available through different grants, or health
care programs.  However, HIV aside, it is always a good idea to plan for
the future being either a shelter operator, owner of 9 plus ferrets like
myself, or breeder- you never know when you may become ill, or when
accidents or heart attacks can strike (if we all recall a recent incident).
 
Patty
[Posted in FML issue 3330]