It looks like he typed this one with their new baby in his arms, too.  :-)
Can't blame him <G>; we'd be the exact same way.
 
>From: "Bruce Williams"
>
>dear sukie -
>
>This is the second email on this fml post that i have received.
>
>In short, therestill is no reliable clinical test for ECE.
>
>while in acute cases, coronaviruses may be isolated from stools of affected
>ferrtes, this test is dependent on a number of factors, including stage of
>disease (only very recently infected ferrets may have levels of virus high
>enough to be seen under the electron microscope,). While coronaviruses have
>been isolated numerous times in affected ferrets (including in my research
>in 1993 and in research conducted at Purdue University), this virus has
>proved elusive in terms of growing it in cell culture, which is thefirst
>step in developing a sensitive and repeatable test for ECE as well as a
>vaccine
>
>I need to reiterate however that although coronaviruses are the mot likely
>cause of ECE, and certainly strengthen a clinical diagnosis of this disease,
>a negative fecal exam for virus certainly does not rule it out, especially
>in animals with definitive clinical signs.  Characteristic clinical signs
>must still be regarded as the definitive "test" for ECE.
>
>best,
>
>bruce (and asleeping connor)
[Posted in FML issue 2653]