James ([log in to unmask]) wrote:
>Can someone explain what ADV is and why it is important to be
>tested for?
I am sure this will probably get long, so I apologize in advance.
On the surface, ADV can best be explained by comparing it to HIV and
AIDS in humans. ADV is not AIDS, and is not even in the same class of
viruses. But, there are some similarities, and most people are familiar
with AIDS.
ADV, or Aleutian Disease Virus, is a parvo virus that originally affected
only mink. It is names for the Aleutian mink (the light colored mink)
because it was first noted to affect them, and is more deadly to Aleutian
mink then it is to dark colored mink. ADV can now be caught and carried
by a number of members of the weasel family, including ferrets.
Like AIDS, ADV is a virus that is transmitted primarily through bodily
fluids, and it causes an auto immune response in the animals that catch
it. Also, like AIDS, the ferret can be infected with ADV, and be
spreading it, but can show no symptoms. This is one reason it is good to
test your ferrets and know their ADV status - so you don't unknowingly
infect other ferrets. However, there are other reasons for testing that
are equally important.
Ferrets with ADV can require special considerations when receiving
medical care. Unlike AIDS, instead of suppressing the immune system,
ADV actually causes the immune system to go into overdrive. The immune
system produces large numbers of gammaglobulins (a protein in the
blood) that are ineffective at fighting the virus. It is rarely the
virus itself that kills the ferret - it is the overproduction of
gammaglobulins. These proteins form a plaque that deposits in the organs
and along the blood vessel walls, weakening the areas where they deposit.
Any of the major organs can be affected by the deposits, but the liver,
kidneys and lungs are 3 of the most common ones.
The symptoms of ADV are varied, and may mimmic other ferret diseases.
The most common symptoms are lethargy, unexplained weight loss and hind
end paralysis. Sometimes, although not always, there is also a cough
present. However, a ferret can have and be spreading ADV and show no
symptoms at all. Other complications that can result from ADV are loss
of clotting factors in the blood (which can make any surgeries risky),
and vascular degeneration, which can result in the ferret bleeding out.
Currently, there are 3 test that are commercially available that test for
the presence of ADV antibodies. The first is the CEP (or CIEP) test done
by United Vaccines. The cost per test (United's charge) is $10.00, and
it requires a small amount of blood or blood serum to run the test.
The amount of blood required can easily be collected by clipping a claw
short, but many people prefer to have their vets draw the blood sample
and send it in for them. The vet will, of course charge for his services
and the shipping costs as well as what United charges. This test is
considered by most to be very reliable, and has been used by mink farmers
for many years.
The other 2 tests are offered by Avecon Diagnostics. These tests are
fairly new, and there have been some problems with them. However, when
done properly, I think they are fairly reliable. The ELISA test requires
that a sample be sent to the Avecon lab for testing. The instructions
say it can be runon either saliva or blood, but I recommend using saliva.
Most of the problems that have occurred have been when blood was used as
the testing sample. The second Avecon test is the POCT or Quicktest,
and, like a home pregnancy test, can be run by you at home. Again, it
requires a small saliva sample. More information on the Avecon tests
can be found at the Avecon website, at the following URL:
http://www.avecon.com/advabelisa.html
Currently, there are no commercially available tests that test for the
actual presence of the virus (the antigen). The U of GA is currently
doing research on ADV, and they will run PCR tests on blood, urine and
saliva samples sent to them. The PCR test checks for the viral DNA, and
will tell you whether or not the virus is present in the ferrets bodily
fluids. However, this test, while accurate, is not a good diagnostic
tool. For much of the time, the actual virus is not in the fluids, but
in the organs. So, a negative PCR test does not necessarily mean the
ferret does not have ADV, just that it is not in a contagious period of
the disease.
People that want to send blood serum samples to the U of GA for testing
should the tubes with ice packs and ship overnight to the following
address:
Kate Pennick, Research Tech III
Dept. of Pathology -- Room 148
UGA College of Vet Med
Athens, GA 30602-7388
I do not recommend using this as a first line of testing. Kate runs the
tests as time allows, and it may take several weeks to get the results.
Since they are not doing this commercially, but as research, there is no
time table for when tests are run. However, many people like to use
them as a follow-up to a positive test result by one of the commercial
testing methods. In addition to the PCR test, they run a CIEP test with
titers, which will tell you the concentration of ADV antibodies in the
blood.
I usually prefer to point people to websites and articles on ADV, rather
then trying to explain it all myself. That way, people can read as much
or as little as they like. For that reason, the remainder of this post
will be about where you can find more information on ADV.
I would suggest that if you want to learn more about ADV, there are
several websites with good information. There is also a Yahoo Group
for people interested in learning about ADV and for working on ways of
educating the public about its dangers. In addition to the messages,
it has a links section with good links and a files section .
The ADVList on Yahoo Groups info:
Post message: [log in to unmask]
Subscribe: [log in to unmask]
Unsubscribe: [log in to unmask]
List owner: [log in to unmask]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/advferret/
This site also has an excellent files section with information.
Here are some other resources I can recommend.
Wolfy's ADV Straight Up webpage - good basic info to start with:
http://wolfysluv.jacksnet.com/adv-links.html
A page with an article by the head of the Harlan Labs (UK) testing
division: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ferreter/aleutian01.htm
There are some points in this article that are not well presented (like
his citing 'the Internet' as a source of data) but overall, it is a
good article, and explains how the disease affects the ferret in terms
that most can understand.
White Russian's Website - this site has several article by ADV
Researchers. Go down the page and look for the articles by Dr.
Stevenson and Dr. Nye.
http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom/index.html
Ferret Haven By the Sea's website has some info on ADV, too. They
have the United Vaccine's guidelines for ADV testing on their site.
http://www.ferrethaven.org/aleutian.html
Ferrets magazine has also run several articles on ADV. The most recent
one was in the March/April 2003 edition, and was an excellent article.
If anyone has any additional questions, feel free to write to me
personally if you want. I do not consider myself an expert on ADV, but
I have been living with it now for 4 years.
--
Danee
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit: http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom
To find out how you can help visit:
http://www.geocities.com/help4adv/index.htm
[Posted in FML issue 4127]
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