<http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.aazv.org/resource/resmgr/IDM/IDM_Coronavirus_2013.pdf> On ferrets specifically: http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Diseases/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/Publications.php A recent study using ferret tissue for MERS-CoV has me wondering if ferrets might not be inclined to be a host species for that but honestly this is outside my scope so need people with stronger related backgrounds to say more so have asked one I know I can trust on this score: QUOTE: J Virol. 2013 Nov 20. [Epub ahead of print] Adenosine Deaminase Acts as a Natural Antagonist for Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Mediated Entry of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. Raj VS, Smits SL, Provacia LB, van den Brand JM, Wiersma L, Ouwendijk WJ, Bestebroer TM, Spronken MI, van Amerongen G, Rottier PJ, Fouchier RA, Bosch BJ, Osterhaus AD, Haagmans BL. Source Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) replicates in cells of different species using dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) as a functional receptor. Here we show resistance of ferrets to MERS-CoV infection and inability of ferret DDP4 to bind MERS-CoV. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids variable in ferret DPP4 thus revealed the functional human DPP4 virus binding site. Adenosine deaminase (ADA), a DPP4 binding protein, competed for virus binding, acting as a natural antagonist for MERS-CoV infection. PMID: 24257613 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] The current reports on MERS-CoV through ProMed http://www.promedmail.org have bats as the possible origin species with likely at least one intermediary species. Camels have been implicated as getting it due to very recently done viral genetic comparisons from camel saliva in a specific farm with ill people having matches to the virus in the infected people, BUT whether they infected people, people infected them, or something else transmitted this specific coronavirus to both is not yet known. Also, there have been people who did not interact with camels infected in the Middle East where this disease is emerging, but the work is just beginning into camel bodily wastes and if there might be uses of biproducts from camel slaughter for hide which might pose risk factors. (Pers. Coms. recently w one of the epidemiologists involved). Because there are many coronavirii the general test does NOT say which coronavirus the animal has, so the genetic testing is needed to know for certain. That has led to confusion with some ferrets who have systemic ferret coronavirus that presents like FIP. In fact, that even has caused some problems with some of the early SARS research when test ferrets erupted with the symptoms of ECE without the researchers realizing -- at first -- that ferrets have their own coronavirus and that -- opps -- they had ferrets with ECE. (Ferrets can get SARS as can dogs and cats, but some of the more extreme statements did not have foundation.) [A later P.S.] It hits me that I perhaps mis"spoke". The secretions sampled from those camels were NASAL SWABS. Saliva is among the bodily secretions and waste still to be finished testing or begun testing. Apologies. I think that I might have written "saliva". Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game. Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.miamiferret.org/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/ all ferret topics: http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html "All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow." (2010, Steve Crandall) A nation is as free as the least within it. [Posted in FML 7982]