After the heated discussion regarding whether certain breeding practices
causes ferrets to have a higher incidence of cancer, I did a search on
lymphoma in ferrets and discovered that there is reasonable evidence that
this cancer is associated with a transmissible factor, presumably a virus.
The following paper has the details:
 
Erdman SE, et al. Transmission of a chronic lymphoproliferative syndrome
in ferrets. Laboratory Investigation 1995 May;72(5):539-46
 
Has anyone come across this hypothesis before?  There are other papers on
the topic, but the paper by Erdman et al.  has the experimental evidence to
back it up.  One of the other papers also mentions a review of cancers in
black-footed ferrets and minks, and says cancers are common in animals
allowed to live out their natural lifespan.  So far, I only have the lit
search to go by, but I'll try to find the papers at the medical library
soon.
 
This may change things quite a bit.  Let's assume for a moment that ferrets
had a longer lifespan a decade or more ago.  (This is still anecdotal
evidence so I neither believe or disbelieve, but for the sake of
argument...) Perhaps the perceived increase in lymphoma is due to the fact
that ferrets are being exposed to a transforming virus (one that induces
cancers).  Any time large numbers of ferrets are brought together in one
place, the chance increases for transmission of all sorts of things.  *If* a
virus is the cause of lympho in ferrets, it's necessary to determine what
kind of virus before anyone can start speculating how it's transmitted or
how to prevent transmission.  So, no wild accusations that breeders or
ferret shows or shelters or ferret clubs help spread a new mystery virus.
Until the purported virus is identified, all finger-pointing is baseless.
Nonetheless, this is worth considering.
 
BTW, there was no mention about adrenocortical tumors in the abstracts from
these papers.  When I track down the whole papers I will look to see if
there's any mention of those or in BFFs or minks.
 
I wonder if I've opened up a whole new can of worms?
--Jefv Johnston ([log in to unmask])
[Posted in FML issue 1704]