Tequita writes
>An individual was told that China is breeding ferrets in LARGE numbers
>and sells them to Canada for research.  There was some concern about
>the bird flu crossing into ferrets, and then the fear of it passing to
>humans.
 
Yes ferrets are very susceptible to bird flu, see for example
<http://www.avoidbirdflu.com/article.php?id1=4989>
The question remains if they can pass it on to other ferrets or humans.
Right now, the only known transmission is directly from bird to other
species.
 
There is apparently a shortage of ferrets for doing the research
necessary to find an effective bird flu vaccine.
<http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/
1075850295264_11/?hub=Health>
 
I don't know that there are a lot of ferrets in China, so they make no
sense as a source of research animals.  Large US and Canadian breeders
are more likely sources.
 
Linda Iroff
 
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5170]