Shona, I am very short on time with ailing elder human relatives so
please feel free to yourself open the vet texts I got that bovine TB
mention from and then track the references in the relevant chapters,
though the general bTB rate stuff is actually quite available on several
internet sites put up by governmental and health groups.  Multiple vet
texts make mention that in the U.S.  feeding kibble is responsible for
bTB almost never being encountered in the U.S.  but that the rates are
higher in some areas where the practice still occurs so I am sure that
you will find the references you seek by looking in those texts.  Don't
forget that in many parts of the U.S.  we have a number of native deer
species so perhaps there is a wild reservoir which affects risk rates in
parts of the States -- I don't know if that is a consideration in this
case so treat that as only a reminder that different areas have different
factors to take into consideration.  that I didn't say where because I
just plain don't have the time to also track that down so instead just
trust people to pursue further questions on their own, and certainly
other FML members have done their leg work and reported what they
learned.
 
http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607,
7-186-25804-74719--,00.html
 
>Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that is close to
>being eradicated in the United States, but still poses a significant
>risk to domestic livestock, wildlife, companion animals and humans
>throughout the world.
 
a surprise in unknown route of transmission deer in one of the states:
http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607,
7-186-25804_25811-75803--,00.html
 
http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607,
7-186-25804_25812---,00.html
 
Interesting -- I didn't know that dogs and cats can catch human TB just
as ferrets can.
 
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/tb_info.htm
>Bovine tuberculosis is a common, slow-growing disease that has
>affected animal health throughout recorded history. The state of
>California has been involved in eradication programs since 1917. On
>April 25, 2003, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
>removed California from its list of tuberculosis (TB) accredited-free
>states because three TB-affected herds were detected within a 48-month
>period. California is now classified as a TB modified accredited
>advanced State. The three herds have been depopulated
 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/highlights/section3/section3-11.html
some other mentions of herds in several states destroyed due to bTB
so while rare here it is certainly not unknown just from doing a quick
spot check
 
Anyway, like I said, it is rare but it is severe and it is also
preventable by not feeding raw products (milk, meat) which can transmit
it when it is in an area, and those with susceptible animals should
provide them with vet care just as they hopefully do for their ferrets,
and multiple vet texts credit the change to feeding kibble with it being
almost never seen in domestic ferrets in the U.S.  in current times.
(BTW, if you want t a shock read how many cattle had it before the
program to hopefully eradicate it began in 1917.)
 
-- Sukie
http://www.womenforwomen.org/  (essentials)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=757&e=1&u=/nm/
20050205/od_nm/odd_cookies_dc  (i think that these teens sound darling.)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=816&ncid=816&e=2&u=/ap/
20050204/ap_on_fe_st/music_lawsuit  (Ah, accuracy)
[Posted in FML issue 4780]