To Dr. Williams,
 
I tried emailing this question to you, but it got bumped back, so here
goes.  The discussion on Mycobacterium avium and ferrets has gotten me
interested, mainly because I study birds, and have often wondered what the
consequences of this work might be to my health, in addition to that of
Abercrombie and Fitch.
 
I am studying Western gulls nesting on Alcatraz Island for my Ph.D. thesis.
 I know that gulls have many parasites, as well as diseases (hepatitis, for
one), and I usually get hepatitis shots before going out in the field.
However, my clothes and field equipment usually get, well, christened by
the gulls every time I walk out on the colony.  My clothes get washed, but
the equipment (optics, backpacks, etc) can never be fully cleaned, and
usually are kept in my office at school.  However, Abercrombie and Fitch
spend time in my office on weekends and evenings running around
investigating everything, and I wonder whether they might be exposed to
something dangerous (like Mycobacterium avium) in the equipment exposed to
the gulls.  Do you think that the hazard is serious enough to keep them out
of my office?  Is it serious enough to keep _me_ out of my office (one can
only hope)?  :)  Am I too alarmed?
 
Sorry this was so long and detailed, but it can be hard to describe what I
do, and how it relates to my little monsters!
 
Thanks,
 
Marcy (Birdwoman of Alcatraz)
 
Abercrombie and Fitch
[Posted in FML issue 1112]