Will have to read a 13 page March 19, 1996 "Protocol for Animal Isolation, Animal Bites, and Rabies Prophylaxis" which was the ONLY thing that Idaho sent to know if they are saying that they've have quarantine for a while or if the person responding was so far unaware of the 1998 Compendium. So will write later; might have them on the "Contact again" list. Meanwhile: I have gotten letters today from: Kansas, Wisconsin and Colorado. Colorado: John Pape, Epidemiologist IV; excerpts: " ... Our rabies policy has always been more liberal than national recommendations due to the current absence of terrestrial mammal rabies in Colorado. We have, therefore, for over ten years allowed quarantine of ferrets involved in human bites provided that certain criteria were met. A 30-day observation period was used. With the completion of the rabies virus shedding studies ... we will be revising our policy to reflect this change. Essentially, this will change the required quarantine period to 10 days, effective upon the publication of the 1998 _Compendium of Animal Rabies Control_ early next year. ..." Kansas: Gail R. Hansen, DVM, MPH; excerpts: "The Compendium on Animal Rabies Control, 1998 has not yet been published or distributed, nor have all the studies you alluded to in your letter. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment began the process of amending the regulations ... in expectation that the studies and compendium will be published. The process of amending regulations began on November 2, 1997 and minimum time from submission to the time regulations take effect is 16 weeks (last week of February, 1998). The actual length of time varies depending on the number of regulations submitted by other agencies, the amount of time since the last revision, recommendations made during the comment period, and other factors. Until such time as the amendments are adopted and become the new regulations, the regulations last amended in 1996 are law in Kansas. ... if a case goes to court, judgement is usually determined by law rather than recommendation... ... I am not aware of any state that will not recognize the studies, once they are published in a refereed journal..." Wisconsin: James J. Kazmierczak, DVM, MS; excerpts: "1. I am the person who made the decision to change our policy to reflect the findings of the KSU/CDC ferret shedding study. The decision was approved by our state epidemiologist, Dr. Jeffrey Davis. 2. The policy change went into effect on November 14, when I notified local public health departments in Wisconsin of the change in policy - i.e., that ferrets which bite humans be managed in the same manner as biting dogs and cats ... Eventually, when the state rabies control statutes are revised, the policy changes will be codified in statute, but there is no pressing need to do so immediately..." [Posted in FML issue 2142]