Bill and Diane Killian asked for clarification about the "flu." In common
parlance, "flu" is frequently used as a catch-word for any of a variety of
viral infections involving the nasal passages, respiratory tract or
gastrointestinal tract.  The correct usage refers to influenza, which has
three major types: A, B and C.  However, samples are seldom submitted to
labs for virus identification and typing.  This usually only occurs in
settings where public health officials want to track the spread of epidemics
(nursing homes, hospitals, etc.).  Other viruses can also cause flu-like
symptoms, including respiratory synctial virus, parainfluenza and the cold
viruses (the latter comprising a grab-bag of different viruses).  The
clinical definition is so seldom nailed down that the International
Classifications of Diseases code most commonly used in cases of the "flu" is
"influenza-like illness." Yes, that's very nonspecific, but since most
people (and ferrets) get over the flu, it's usually not worth spending big
bucks for lab tests to identify the specific virus or virus type and
subtype.  Most clinicians distinguish any flu-like infection from a "cold"
(also an imprecise word) by the presence of fever.  The common cold is not
supposed to produce fever.
 
Of the three types of influenza virus, type A is the most dangerous and the
one most often associated with influenza deaths--often from bacterial
pneumonia that sets in once the influenza infection gets going.  Type B is
less severe, and type C causes the mildest infection.  For what it's worth,
during the current winter, type A, subtype H3N2 has been reported most
frequently in the United States and Canada, with some type B virus.  Ferrets
can be infected with type A influenza.  (Influenza type A was first
identified in ferrets in 1931.) I have not seen a reference verifying
whether ferrets can be infected with the other types of influenza or the
other influenza-like illnesses.  There are numerous anecdotal reports of
ferrets catching cold viruses as well, but I've never seen laboratory
confirmation of infection with a specific cold virus.  I'd bet a semester's
tuition that it happens...just haven't seen it verified in a peer-reviewed
paper.
 
"Stomach flu" can be anything.  It may even be non-viral, such as bacteria,
fungi, parasites, food allergies, toxins, and other causes.  The term is
used so loosely that it is very uninformative.  It is far more useful to
your doctor or vet to never use the term "stomach flu" but to describe all
symptoms, for example: vomiting followed several hours by profuse, watery
pale, foul-smelling diarrhea, with weakness, lethargy, chills and a fever.
That sort of description will tell your vet *volumes* more than saying, "My
ferret has stomach flu."
 
I've noticed that some people in our local area use the term ECE the same
way "stomach flu." is used.  Sometimes what people casually refer to as a
bout of "ECE" doesn't match the description of classical ECE described in
the FAQ.  In general, if a ferret has either severe or chronic diarrhea it
should be taken to a vet.  I worry that some ferret owner may mistake a
treatable case of diarrhea for ECE and decide to keep the ferret at home
giving only Pedialyte and duck soup.  It also spreads fear of non-existent
outbreaks.  Not all diarrhea in ferrets is ECE.  That distinction should be
reserved for the set of symptoms described in the FAQ.  A vet can easily
check for bacterial and parasitic intestinal infections and that should
always be done even when symptoms seem to match those of ECE since a
co-existing infections with ECE are widely reported.  By the way, TLE has
sent samples from an outbreak of ECE to a molecular biologist here at UNC,
so perhaps we'll know soon if ECE is really a coronavirus.
 
Alli Goforth asked about the ferrets being used by Glaxo Wellcome for flu
research and what happens to them.  I know from someone who works at GW that
at the end of studies healthy animals can be adopted free to employees.  I
don't know if the offer is made to the public or not...perhaps not if
employees adopt most of the animals.  I think GW has a public web site.  A
quick search on any good search engine should find it.
 
--Jeff Johnston ([log in to unmask])
[Posted in FML issue 1835]