Something very new, but emerging and resistant so those in affected
parts of Europe who treat ferrets or who hunt with ferrets should be
aware.


>Clin Nephrol. 2009 Nov;72(5):405-9.
>A case of endocarditis of difficult diagnosis in dialysis: could
>"pest" friends be involved?
>
>Malek-Mar’n T, Arenas MD, Perdiguero M, Salavert-Lleti M, Moledous A,
>Cotilla E, Gil MT;
>1 Departments of Nephrology of Hospital Perpetuo Socorro,
>2 Hospital General of Alicante, and
>3 Department of Infectious Diseases of Hospital La Fe of Valencia,
>Spain.
>
>We report a case of A. xylosoxidans endocarditis of larvate clinical
>presentation in a central venous catheter-dependent hemodialysis
>patient of difficult diagnosis and poor evolution despite a high
>index of suspicion and consequent assessment.
>
>A 50-year-old man on hemodialysis presented with inflammatory-
>malnutrition parameters during the months prior to diagnosis of
>endocarditis, whilst he was otherwise asymptomatic. No vegetations
>were detectable on his cardiac valves at repeated echocardiography
>until third transesophageal echocardiography was performed, and
>confirmed intraoperatively. On the occasion of positive peripheral
>blood culture for Alcaligenes (Achromobacter) xylosoxidans, the
>etiological diagnosis was retrospectively explained given his history
>of animal exposure - hunting rabbits using his pet ferrets.
>
>This bacterium is an emergent and resistant organism, mostly related
>to nosocomial infections and environmental water sources. Reservoirs
>include the microflora of the nasal cavity of rabbits and the
>dentogingival sulcus of ferrets. We presume that A. xylosoxidans
>endocarditis was transmitted from the patient's pets. It highlights
>the importance of early recognition of an inflammatory status and
>investigation of the underlying cause. Additionally, the causative
>bacterium emphasizes the importance of registering exposure to animals
>in CVC-dependent patients as well as the need for their awareness of
>hygienic precautions and the infectious risk associated to catheters.
> PMID: 19863886

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

[Posted in FML 6502]