I have some questions for the Medically Knowledgeable people on the
list.  8)
 
ECE is or is not a virus?  If it hasn't been identified as one, why do
publications use the word in describing it?  For instance, in Modern
Ferret, is identified as "suspected to be a viral infection" and then
referred to as a virus the rest of the article.  If it hasn't been
identified as one, why call it that?  Or is that usually what happens
with virus/disease's in their pre identification stage?
 
Also, I read here that it can't be tested for because the "virus" causing
it hasn't been isolated?  Then why it is a virus?  The only thing I know of
that I can compare that to is HIV in its earliest incarnations before it
was named HIV.  It had one name to identify it when it cropped up, and then
when they isolated and identified the virus, it was HIV.  Is that what is
happening with ECE?  They're just trying to get it to the isolation stage?
 
If you can't test for it, how do you know how it is transmitted?  By
comparing cases that come in?  Like with shelters and such?  What makes it
so difficult to isolate a virus?  Does it evolve and mutate like flu and
cold viruses?
 
I'm intrigued, can you tell? 8)  Science is a wonderful thing, and I guess
it sometimes doesn't make sense to me "why" things don't get
caught/seen/identified/cured, etc.  So then I ask!  8)
 
Thanks,
Julie
[Posted in FML issue 2652]