From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2006-06-07 23:23:20 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Mycobacterium kansasii in ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Grain of salt time because I am NOT an expert on this topic.
The name "Mycobacterium" worries a number of people because tuberculosis is one of them; not all are as scary but some beyond TB are very serious, even unfortunately fatal.
Several species of Mycobacteria have been documented in ferrets.
Recently, a vet in Arkansas found a species of atypical Mycobacterium that I have not seen mentioned elsewhere as happening in ferrets: Mycobacterium kansasii. This bacterium causes a NON-tuberculin chronic lung infection which resembles pulmonary tuberculosis and may infect other organs. Sadly, the ferret did not survive. Knowing that this disease can occur in ferrets may help another ferret.
Some of the non-ferret animals in which M. kansasii has been documented:
some turtles, dogs, cattle, rhesus monkeys (OW), squirrel monkeys (NW), manatees, goat, humans, possibly others.
Mycobacterium kansasii has been seen world-wide, but tends to have pockets where it is more common. In the U.S. the SW and Midwest are locations where it is seen a lot comparatively, and so are a number of urban locations. California has been having a good bit of it, but -- as elsewhere -- that still is a low rate. England and Wales see a decent bit of it comparatively to places with less, as does South Africa. Although it was a rare infection decades ago it flourishes in individuals whose immune systems are very compromised so the advent of HIV and AIDS has made it not as unusual among humans which has increased its general incidence.
This bacterium does not seem to pass from directly from host to host, but instead environmental exposure, probably aspiration or local inoculation, is implicated according to multiple medical sites. I have not found any listings of it as being zoonotic so if human and animal get it in the same household that is likely due to a share route of exposure. As per one highly respected human medical source
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1537.htm
it has been found at rare times in water supplies in areas where it is most common but individuals who are not immune-suppressed normally have no real problem with it from what I have read.
The emedicine site is an excellent place to get a great deal of further information, though it is currently unknown which or how much of those pieces of data will also be valid for ferrets.
Because the behavior of this bacterium in ferrets is as unknown as it is, the veterinarian or family will be informing the breeder and the breeder will also be asked to inform any distributors, but the infection may have been contracted later.
We are all learning in relation to this disease and ferrets.
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
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