From:
swamp
Date: 2002-08-07 23:07:54 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: ECE
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.2.20020807160115.00ac5608@mail>
At 08:57 AM 8/5/2002 +0100, Denise wrote:
>Once a ferret has been exposed to ECE it is a carrier, although it may
>never shed the virus (meaning exhibiting signs). Times of stress (moving,
>etc.) can cause them to shed the virus which means a round of antibiotics
>to quell it.
Just to clear up a few things, the ferret has to *contract* ECE to become a
carrier. Exposure alone is insufficient, and it's unknown how long ferrets
shed after contracting ECE. "Shedding" means the animal is spreading
contagious virus into its environment via breath, blood, saliva, urine,
feces, semen, placenta, etc. An animal exhibiting signs of a disease is
"symptomatic." Not all symptomatic animals are shedding, while asymptomatic
animals might be. Antibiotics won't affect the pathogenesis of a virus like
ECE, but may reduce the severity of or eliminate secondary infections.
>As far as I know ECE isn't exactly airborne, it requires contact.
I've heard differently, but nothing concrete.
> It doesn't even need to be direct ferret-to-ferret contact: If you
> handle a ferret that is a carrier of ECE and handle your own ferret
> afterwards without washing up and changing your clothes you will transmit
> it to your ferret.
Absolutely correct.
Not a vet,
Rob