ATTENTION ALL FMLer's
 
        We will be starting research into the green diarrhea in the next few
weeks.  I am looking for A)frozen feces from acutely ill animals, and B) serum
from recovered animals.  The first stages of the research will not involve any
live animals.  We will be filtering fecal material from acutely ill animals to
see if we can filter out viral particles.
 
        Serum will be used at a later date.  The antibodies of recovered animals
may be required to help isolate the virus in stool samples or on electron
microscopy of infected cells.
 
        0.5-1cc of serum would be very helpful.  If your ferret has had the
green diarrhea and is going in for a routine checkup where blood will be taken,
please think of us.
 
        All samples should be frozen and sent via overnight or two day mail.
Please send samples on Monday-Wednesday, to make sure they don't sit over the
weekend somewhere.
 
 
Thanks.
 
Bruce Williams, DVM                 Department of Veterinary Pathology
[log in to unmask]         14th and Alaska Ave.
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (202) 576-2453/2454
Washington, D.C.  20306-6000
 
[Posted in FML issue 0952]