Hi. I worked in the field of HIV/AIDS education and training for a number of years. Just thought I'd mention that HIV is a virus (human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS is the disease (Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease) caused by HIV infection and the resultant breakdown of the immune system, often after a number of years. The transmission of the virus is caused by an exchange of bodily fluids, generally involving sex or the use of "dirty" needles in IV drug injection, though open cuts or sores involving the exchange of blood are sometimes a source of transmission. It is not transmitted by kissing, i.e., saliva, sitting on toilet seats, or a variety of other imagined or feared ways. There is still much stigma and fear associated with the virus and how and who transmits, unfortunately, and some chose to attach moral judgements to some of its modes of transmission, disregarding that a virus could give a rats ass about who helps it do its thing. As a matter of fact, the transmission of the HIV virus via heterosexual sex, and to women, is on the rise, and has been for some time. As has already been stated, there has never been a case of a ferret getting HIV from a human or otherwise. Lynn [Posted in FML issue 4406]