No one really knows exactly how easily ADV can be passed to other ferrets right now. Dr. Stevenson, who is a vet and a virologist, said the virus has almost certainly mutated since it was studied years ago. I think I can say with some certainty, though, (and maybe Dr. Williams will back me up on this), that ADV CANNOT be spread through e-mails. This is one virus that will not download onto your hard drive upon opening e-mail. It may sound like a bit of a joke that I'm making...but I have actually had people who never answered e-mails I sent them...or who stopped corresponding with me once they found out I had ADV positive ferrets. Although I usually don't single people out, one person that posts to the FML often (and made an entire post about falling in love with White Russian "at first sight"), and who comes across as being very kind and caring, has never once written to me to say she feels bad about Russian, "the most beautiful and ethereal ferret in the world" being sick. In fact, she never answered the e-mail I sent her to tell her personally that he was ADV positive. She is probably afraid...she handled Russian at two shows and, at one, went back and handled her own ferrets. But "ignoring" me won't keep her ferrets safe. And if she did, in fact, fall in love with White Russian "at first sight"...Russian doesn't need that kind of love. Obviously, I don't know if she's tested her ferrets, but I do know she's adopted one since then. In my opinion, she has shown herself to be neither kind, nor caring...only very foolish. This is one disease you can't bury your head in the sand about and think, by doing so, that you will keep your ferrets safe from it. Judy [Posted in FML issue 3188]