From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-03-08 17:17:00 UTC
Subject: TB
--
Okay, I used to work with a range of primates back in the 70s (for
the same sorts of friendly mobility research that were done on a
number of us, too, and living in communal large facilities with
mental and physical stimulation also through piles of toys and stuff
to climb on, as well as the social interactions). One (of many)
diseases and parasites that we had to watch out for was TB. There
were pricking tests that were done as well as lung x-rays. The first
has to be done in a place the critter won't scratch; we had a chimp
from Africa whose eyelid was used by someone not adroit enough to
know that she would scratch it so we all had a scare about TB.
Look for a later post of mine with quotes from Fox's _Biology and Disease of the Ferret_ to read yet another veterinary expert's comments on M.avium not posing the levels of risk that M. tuberculosis and M. bovine pose, and what can be done instead of death.
Since I didn't put the test types in that I am editting this post now to include more info, but this is only from a skim so those with more knowledge or more time will have to clarify if needed:
"Nodular lesions, if calcified, can be demonstrated radiographically. Laparotomy, with biopsy of involved abdominal lymph nodes... Experimentally. ferrets inoculated with Freund's complte adjuvant react to an intradermal injection of..." Later there is the mention, "The tuberculin skin test was used to eliminate natural cases of tuberculosis in a breedign colony of ferrets"
To help:
The references mentioned in relation to testing can be found in:
JAVMA 1994;204:1217
Dev CompI Immunol 1981;5:124
Microbios1974;10A:7
Br J Exp Pathol 1982;63:562
J Anim Tech Assoc 1952;2:3
JAVMA 1952;121:389