April 10, 1993
Sent to GEnie, CompuServe, FML
Today Dr. Kawasaki saw another case of green diarrhea
complicated by hepatitis. I spent the afternoon at his
clinic waiting for him to make a statement after
carefully reviewing all the blood work. He thinks it has
reached EPIDEMIC proportions. I am uploading this for
him.
Please download this and take it to your vets. He would
like to hear from any other vets who see this, and would
be happy to answer any questions. He and Dr. Williams are
working closely on this for us, and I am working closely
with them.
FROM: DR. TOM KAWASAKI- OLD BRIDGE VETERINARY CLINIC,
WOODBRIDGE VA, (703) 690 2580.
There have been at least four families presented at my
clinic with what appears to be an identical disease. The
following is a list of symptoms which are consistent:
1.Diarrhea, acute, very loose, often green
2.Depression and anorexia
Laboratory data consistent in all cases includes normal
white cell count and distribution of cells, elevated red
cell counts indicating dehydration, low protein and
albumin due to anorexia and loss of protein due to
malabsorption: exactly 50% of the cases demonstrate
elevations of a liver enzyme (SGPI or ALT ranging from
300-1500) with normal or minimal changes in the alkaline
phosphatase. There have been cases where the liver
enzymes are normal but histopathology confirms liver
involvement either indirectly with fatty infiltrates or
perhaps a direct viral insult to the liver.
Dr. Kawasaki also asked me to add this from a fax sent
to me on April 7, 1993 -
FROM: DR. BRUCE WILLIAMS, PATHOLOGIST - ARMED FORCES
INSTITUTE, D.C.
Histopathologic results on necropsied animals are
consistent with although not diagnostic of, a viral
enteritis. There is marked villar atrophy, blunting,
fusion, and loss with necrosis of enterocytes at villar
tips: crypts are moderately to markedly hyperplastic. A
moderate lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate is seen in the
intestine in more long-standing cases.
The Department of Veterinary Pathology, Armed Forces
Institute of Pathology is currently investigating this
disease outbreak. As of yet, an etiology has not been
identified: more material is needed. If you suspect this
disease in one or more of your ferret patients,
histopathology will be done at no cost to you.
Full necropsies, preferably on moribund animals, are
preferred. Tissues from animals dead longer than 24 hours
do not need to be submitted. In addition to a wide range
of tissues, several 2-inch loops of jejunum should be
ligated and frozen, in addition to several sections of
liver and 1cc of serum. If histopathology shows lesions
compatible with this entity, then we will contact you for
these frozen sections at that time, in order to perform
virus isolation and serology on these samples.
THIS APPEARS TO BE A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE WITH
POTENTIAL TO KILL ADULT FERRETS. EVENTS AT WHICH LARGE
NUMBERS OF FERRETS ARE CONGREGATED, SUCH AS FERRET SHOWS,
ARE MOST LIKELY AN EXCELLENT VENUE FOR DISSEMINATION OF
THIS DISEASE.
For more information on this disease or how to submit
tissue for examination please call Dr. Bruce Williams at
(202) 576-2453/2454. - end of fax.
All League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts Affiliates
have been notified by telephone and the April edition of
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE.
In light of this information L.I.F.E is recommending that
there be a MORATORIUM ON FERRET SHOWS-FUN MATCHES- OR ANY
GATHERING OF FERRETS-for the next 60 days. At the present
time, we think this should be long enough. Dr. Kawasaki
and Dr. Williams think we have a very grave situation.
LETS KEEP OUR WEASELS AT HOME AND ALIVE!
In light of this, and being a responsible ferret
organization;
Denise Edens, president of Metro Ferret Friends has
CANCELLED THE MAY 15 SHOW. It will be rescheduled when we
feel that the danger is over.
I think we should applaud Denise for her good judgement
and quick decision it will probably save many ferret
lives.
I personally know of 20 ferrets who have died from this-
and dozens more who have had it and survived.
I will post more as soon as I know more.
Anyone wishing to receive a complimentary copy of THE
INDEPENDENT VOICE quarterly journal for ferret
enthusiasts can email me their address. It contains the
LIFE show information and news style articles on
[Posted in FML issue 0452]
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