April 10, 1993 Sent to GEnie, CompuServe, FML Today Dr. Kawasaki saw another case of green diarrhea complicated by hepatitis. I spent the afternoon at his clinic waiting for him to make a statement after carefully reviewing all the blood work. He thinks it has reached EPIDEMIC proportions. I am uploading this for him. Please download this and take it to your vets. He would like to hear from any other vets who see this, and would be happy to answer any questions. He and Dr. Williams are working closely on this for us, and I am working closely with them. FROM: DR. TOM KAWASAKI- OLD BRIDGE VETERINARY CLINIC, WOODBRIDGE VA, (703) 690 2580. There have been at least four families presented at my clinic with what appears to be an identical disease. The following is a list of symptoms which are consistent: 1.Diarrhea, acute, very loose, often green 2.Depression and anorexia Laboratory data consistent in all cases includes normal white cell count and distribution of cells, elevated red cell counts indicating dehydration, low protein and albumin due to anorexia and loss of protein due to malabsorption: exactly 50% of the cases demonstrate elevations of a liver enzyme (SGPI or ALT ranging from 300-1500) with normal or minimal changes in the alkaline phosphatase. There have been cases where the liver enzymes are normal but histopathology confirms liver involvement either indirectly with fatty infiltrates or perhaps a direct viral insult to the liver. Dr. Kawasaki also asked me to add this from a fax sent to me on April 7, 1993 - FROM: DR. BRUCE WILLIAMS, PATHOLOGIST - ARMED FORCES INSTITUTE, D.C. Histopathologic results on necropsied animals are consistent with although not diagnostic of, a viral enteritis. There is marked villar atrophy, blunting, fusion, and loss with necrosis of enterocytes at villar tips: crypts are moderately to markedly hyperplastic. A moderate lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate is seen in the intestine in more long-standing cases. The Department of Veterinary Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology is currently investigating this disease outbreak. As of yet, an etiology has not been identified: more material is needed. If you suspect this disease in one or more of your ferret patients, histopathology will be done at no cost to you. Full necropsies, preferably on moribund animals, are preferred. Tissues from animals dead longer than 24 hours do not need to be submitted. In addition to a wide range of tissues, several 2-inch loops of jejunum should be ligated and frozen, in addition to several sections of liver and 1cc of serum. If histopathology shows lesions compatible with this entity, then we will contact you for these frozen sections at that time, in order to perform virus isolation and serology on these samples. THIS APPEARS TO BE A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE WITH POTENTIAL TO KILL ADULT FERRETS. EVENTS AT WHICH LARGE NUMBERS OF FERRETS ARE CONGREGATED, SUCH AS FERRET SHOWS, ARE MOST LIKELY AN EXCELLENT VENUE FOR DISSEMINATION OF THIS DISEASE. For more information on this disease or how to submit tissue for examination please call Dr. Bruce Williams at (202) 576-2453/2454. - end of fax. All League of Independent Ferret Enthusiasts Affiliates have been notified by telephone and the April edition of THE INDEPENDENT VOICE. In light of this information L.I.F.E is recommending that there be a MORATORIUM ON FERRET SHOWS-FUN MATCHES- OR ANY GATHERING OF FERRETS-for the next 60 days. At the present time, we think this should be long enough. Dr. Kawasaki and Dr. Williams think we have a very grave situation. LETS KEEP OUR WEASELS AT HOME AND ALIVE! In light of this, and being a responsible ferret organization; Denise Edens, president of Metro Ferret Friends has CANCELLED THE MAY 15 SHOW. It will be rescheduled when we feel that the danger is over. I think we should applaud Denise for her good judgement and quick decision it will probably save many ferret lives. I personally know of 20 ferrets who have died from this- and dozens more who have had it and survived. I will post more as soon as I know more. Anyone wishing to receive a complimentary copy of THE INDEPENDENT VOICE quarterly journal for ferret enthusiasts can email me their address. It contains the LIFE show information and news style articles on [Posted in FML issue 0452]