To Amy Seyler:
 
        >As far as Dr Williams' statement about fecal-oral contact - my initial
>exposure resulted from handling an infected ferret (unknown at the time).
>Although I washed my hands before handling my own ferrets, it wasn't enough.
 
        Debbie is very right on this one, and I totally glossed over this
subject when I initially answered your question.  (Thanks, Debbie!)
 
      Your ferret does not have to come into contact with feces from an
infected ferret - it can be transmitted by someone who has handled an
infected ferret on the clothes or shoes.  When Colleen and I return from a
ferret show - we immediately strip (inside the house, not out in the yard),
but our clothes in the wash, and shower thoroughly before coming into
contact with any of our ferrets.
 
        We had several ferrets ar the AFIP catch the disease simply by
coming into contact with an animal worker who had previously been cleaning
he infectd animal's cages.
 
        Thanks for catching that, Debbie!!
Bruce H. Williams, DVM         Dept. of Veterinary Pathology
Chief Pathologist, AccuPath    Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
[log in to unmask]         Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
                               [log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1216]