This later pop news source says how far apart the ferrets were when
they transmitted swine flu among themselves:

<http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/us-expert-watches-swine-flu-spread-in-nz-2827040>

includes:

>... team from Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands found that the
>virus transmits easily between ferrets housed in cages whose walls are
>10cm apart.

[That is fewer than 4 inches for those who need that info.]

and

>... team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the
>Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the novel
>virus only transmitted well when the ferrets shared direct contact - a
>sign, that team said, that the new virus has not yet fully adapted to
>mammals.

and later:

>... researchers found that the seasonal H1N1 virus transmitted quickly
>and completely by droplet transmission and direct contact among the
>ferrets. But the novel H1N1 viruses did not spread by droplets to all
>ferrets, and transmission was delayed by five or more days in two of
>six infected pairs.


Of course, influenza is a good virus at altering itself. For best
survival a virus spreads easily but does not kill the hosts (the common
cold is an example), but like mutations, recombinations, etc. the forms
of change are not directional (change types can vary a lot and then
whichever ones survive well enough have the adaptation(s) that fit
their environment -- at least for then). Not all are optimal for the
host (or for the disease) so things like the 1918 influenza do occur on
and off before lack of a sufficient number of handy hosts during viral
shedding periods stops the disease. (Which is why when an outbreak of
any type of infectious disease ( for examples: ECE, coccidia, ADV,
canine distemper, influenza, giardia, etc.) happen in regions, or
shelters, or stores there is such strong veterinary advise to treat
and to NOT let any of the animals out and NOT bring in any new animals
until the infection can no longer be spread and this is why shelters
are urged to not put new animals in with old right away and to have
prompt vet checks and disease testing as well as needed vaccinations.

The article also says:

>The animals that received the novel flu viruses lost more weight
>than the ones that were infected with the seasonal flu strain.
>Viral shedding patterns were similar for the novel flu groups and
>the seasonal flu group.
>
>Investigators found high levels of viruses in the lower respiratory
>tracts of animals infected with two of the three novel H1N1 viruses
>but not the seasonal flu virus.
>
>The group also found the novel flu virus in the intestinal tracts
>of the novel-H1N1-infected animals [Other write-ups said that it
>specifically was making itself at home in the small intestine.]

There is much more in the article itself and they interviewed the
researchers.

This influenza is mostly making itself felt in the Southern Hemisphere
currently, though it is still active in some Northern Hemisphere
nations.

As with all influenza types use isolation, letting others tend the
ferrets, avoiding kisses and hugs, covering mouths and noses when
coughing and sneezing, and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots
of handwashing -- not just quick nips under the water, either, please,
but longer washes with warm water and soap.

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

[Posted in FML 6384]