Attemtion fellow ferret lovers!  I need your help!
 
Troy Lynn Eckart and I are gathering the case histories of the 21 ferrets
that have been confirmed rabid thru the end of 1996, so we can try to draw
some conclusions from them.  Hopefully after reviewing the histories we'll
be able to say such things as (e.g., assuming it shows to be true after
reviewing the cases):
 
-all of the ferrets confirmed rabid were diagnosed after showing obvious
 clinical symptoms of rabies.
-in no case has the siezure and testing of an apparently healthy ferret
 shown that it had been incubating the disease
-none of the confirmed rabid animals had been properly vaccinated against
 the disease.
 
A review of the case histories on the confirmed positives might help put
the propaganda of the health depts into perspective with reality.  If we
get if fast enough, it might help Kodo.
 
PLEASE if you live in one of the following states, take 15 minutes to get
the information for us!  Get up right now, pick up your phone book and turn
to the blue pages of state government offices.  Look under 'health dept'
for infectious diseases or epidemiology, or  whatever looks closest and
follow the trail from there.  If you can't call, email me the phone numbers
you find and I'll go from there.  I don't have the ability to easily find
the numbers in every state.  I am doing NY and Troy's calling the KS dept,
but we need your help for the following states:
 
 Arkansas 1996
 California 1985
 Connecticut 1995
 DC  1986, 1987
 Florida 1996
 Iowa 1987
 Kentucky 1958 (this one might be tough, but someone please give it a try!)
 Maryland 1994
 Michigan 1985
 North Dakota 1981, 1986
 South Carolina 1978, 1986, 1992
 Virginia 1982, 1992, 1993
 Wisconsin 1983
 
The year(s) following the states are the years a ferret tested positive in
that state.  Tell the person you talk to what year(s) the ferret(s) testing
positive were in.
 
Ask for the following information, plus anything else they are willing to
forward.  We need a response on their letterhead.  If they are unable to
provide parts of the information, please have them state so, and why the
info is unavailable, e.g., vaccination history unknown because the ferret
was found as a stray and owner was never located..
 
-vaccination history of the ferret (if known)
-how the ferret was believed to be exposed?
 
-dates/timelines between exposure/symptoms/death
-What symptoms of illness, if any did the ferret display?
-What led to the ferret being tested for rabies?
 
Have it sent to:
Ilena Ayala
13 Brandt Street
Hastings on Hudson
New York 10706
 
If you get a promise of a response, please drop me quick note so I can look
for it and let you know when it arrives.  Ask for an ETA for the response
 
If you hit a dead end, at least let me know what numbers you called, and
what if anything you were able to find out.
 
You're still sitting down?? Please go get that phone book now!!
 
TIA,
Ilena Ayala
[Posted in FML issue 1953]