[2-part post combined]
 
To make comparisons a person needs rates from testing and that data is
missing.  Just because a disease is discussed more frequently does not
mean that the disease itself is more common.  We all know where that
assumption led in relation to NZ kits imported to the U.S. with the
assumption that they would be fine when actually a sadly high number
of them had ADV.  (BTW, see page 10 in
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/publications/surveillance/
surveillance-29-4.pdf )
 
There are a number of things ADV is mistaken for (incorrect diagnoses
when pathology testing is not done).  Here are a few:
estogen-induces anemia, lymphosarcoma, eosinophilic gastroenteritis,
peptic ulcers, proliferative bowel disease, salmonellosis (table on
page 365) This does not include the neuro ones and insulinoma that are
mistakenly diagnosed for when it show with only neuro symptoms -- talked
about elsewhere in _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 2nd ed._ where
there is discussion of ferrets with unilateral weakness or unilateral
paralysis, hind end weakness or paralysis, muscular atrophy, etc.
 
I have a vague recollection that researchers did look into the parvo shot
approach many years ago without successful results, but I have misplaced
the document so let's use a boulder of salt until more is known, because
both recollections that can't be checked, and speculations about things
that seem likely to have already been tested are things that call for
some skepticism until more is known.
 
There have already been a series of medical problems which were thought
to be more common in this or that part of the world which turned out
not to be anywhere near as regional as thought -- in some cases being
virtually the same.  The impressions were based upon things like not
looking for the diseases, not doing pathology, simply assuming that a
different area has more of a given disease due it being discussed often,
and even using different names for a given disease.
 
Speaking of that, I am trying to recall what the OTHER NAME that is used
for ADV in Britain is.  I recall someone who was trying to present her
vet with info on ADV for the vet's files and the vet was insisting
something like "We don't have that here." but then she used the common
term and the vet said something along the general lines of (and this is
a paraphrase) "Oh, that's the same as ADV?  Yes, that is here." Ah, yes.
Also see "hypergammaglobulinemia of ferrets".  Hypergammglobulinemia is
often used INSTEAD OF ADV/AD/Aleutians Disease in European discussions I
have noticed in some of the resources found below.
 
BTW, although raccoons are procyonids rather than mustelids I gather
than ADV has been documented in them, and also in skunks.
 
Personally, I disagree with some saying that testing is not needed (and
with several other things I have spotted).  Without testing a ferret
who may have ADV may not only be shown around and potentially spread it
if that happens during a time of virus shedding, but how some symptoms
are approached is changed if ADV is known to be present.  Also, there
MIGHT be data out there (like whether any of the existing vax might make
a difference -- though I doubt that at this stage) but without rate
numbers -- which don't really exist for most areas -- there is no way
to assess any data.  What a person is left with is the impression (and
nothing more) that in places where the disease is more discussed that it
may be more common, but honestly, that is pretty well worthless.  Gotta
test in places being compared to have the rate numbers!
 
Some sites I have run into (I am only skimming so assess on your own,
but for those posing questions I think these could well be useful.  DO
notice that when you compare the researchers' and vets' posts from an
assortment of countries it is widely agreed that due to the mink farming
industry ADV is widely spread throughout much of the world, including in
wild populations of mustelids, and that these researchers do NOT sound
like they consider it to be more of a U.S. problem.):
 
http://www.biologie.uni-osnabrueck.de/Ethologie/abstracts/
musteliden_kolloquium.htm
(about 1/3 of the way down and then maybe about 5/8th of the way down
when scrolling)
 
http://www1.btwebworld.com/beechhouse/aleutiandisease.htm
 
http://www.wessexferretclub.co.uk/aleutian%20d..htm
 
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter/aleutian01.htm
 
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=483&S=1&SourceID=43
or
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=PRINT&A=483
 
http://www.heidihoefer.com/pages/ferrets/aleutian_disease_ferret.htm
 
http://www.cah.com/dr_library/ferrets.html
 
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/aleutian.htm
 
http://www.mkaresq.com/WhiteRussian.htm
 
http://www.afip.org/vetpath/POLA/99/Pathology_of_the_Ferret-Williams.htm
  (a little past half way down)
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed
&list_uids=10852410&dopt=Abstract
 
http://www.ferret-universe.com/health/adv.html
 
http://www.vfu.cz/acta-vet/vol70/pdf/70_297.pdf
 
http://ocw.tufts.edu/courses/5/content/215909
 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/publications/surveillance/
surveillance-29-4.pdf (page 10)
 
http://ferretadv.com/
 
I KNOW I AM MISSING FINDING SOME but my damaged eye is wearing out.
(Hey, it's improving, though.  I can actually sort of skim now for
while though the lateral part of the eye is still foggy.)
 
A good place to ask your questions may be:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advferret/
 
Like Danee says: if you don't test then you don't know.  I hope she will
be back soon.  She's someone who may offhand know your answer for you.
 
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4945]