From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-10-19 01:58:00 UTC
Subject: Re: contagion question
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., Robin Landes <ferret02@e...> wrote:
> Hello All - I have never posted before, but appreciate reading and
> learning. I am just curious - can our little fuzzies be affected in
any
> way by anthrax in its various forms? Sorry to those of you who
already
> know such things and for my ignorance. Thanks,
> A worried Weasel-mom
Dear Robin -
Yes, ferrets can be infected by anthrax, but carnivores are
considered to be fairly resistant hosts.
What many people do not realize is that anthrax is not a new disease,
and is seen occasionally in livestock (far less resistant to the
disease) in the Southwest U.S., and in many other parts of the
world. The bacteium lives in the soil and there can be blooms of
bacteria in areas with alkaline soik when draught is followed by a
heavy rain or flooding. The spores which the bacteria forms are
extremely resistant to environmental conditions, and protects it
during the dry periods. Some spores can even live through the
tanning process when infected animals are used to make leather (there
have actually been outbreaks of cutaneous anthrax from imported bongo
drums from the Caribbean years ago, believe it or not.) Cutaneous
anthrax used to be common in people working with sheep - possibly the
most sensitive host) and was called "woolsorter's disease).
anthrax actually makes a very poor biological agent - it does not
spread readily, it takes a tremendous amoutn of work to make a lethal
concoction of it to get past the bodies defenses, and humans and
ferrets are pretty resistant to its effects overall.
I don't think that you have much to worry about here.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM