Message Number: FHL1316 | New FHL Archives Search
From: "Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-06-01 18:09:23 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Mycobacterium avium
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com

Mycobacterium avium is always present in the environment at low levels because so many
wild birds have it. Ferrets whose health is already compromised or who are around a lot of
bird droppings (bird bodily waste) can get ti that way.

Another route which introduce higher levels of Mycobacterium avium into an animal is if
the animal eats raw poultry from infected birds. There have been a few states in the U.S.
where Mycobacterium avium had been (or still may be) listed as an emerging zoonotic
because of increases in the infections of pet animals who had been fed raw infected
poultry. Not all of the those animals were compromised; they simply got too hefty a dose
for even strong immune systems.

I do not know any way to be sure that the poultry does not contain Mycobacterium avium.

Cooking destroys this mycobacterium.

Mycobacterium avium can have other symptoms but is one that largely shows up as an
intestinal disease so fecal matter should be considered as a possible route of
transmission. Some other mycobacteria, such as TB, can be spread by coughs but I do not
know if that route can happen with Mycobacteria avium.

Ferrets can get a whole range of mycobacteria: Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium
bovine, TB, etc. Here is a quote from a USDA listing of ferret studies of one species of
Mycobacterium that ferrets had not been known to get previously. The link can be found
in the FHL Links at the website.

BEGIN QUOTE

Lunn, J.A., P. Martin, S. Zaki, and R. Malik (2005). Pneumonia due to
Mycobacterium abscessus in two domestic ferrets (Mustelo putorius
furo). Australian Veterinary Journal 83(9): 542-546. ISSN: 0005-0423.
NAL Call Number: 41.8 Au72
Abstract: Two ferrets were diagnosed with pneumonia due to
Mycobacterium abscessus. Both cases were treated successfully using
clarithromycin after positive cultures were obtained via unguided
bronchoalveolar lavage. This is the first time M abscessus has been
isolated in our laboratory and the first report of this organism
causing disease in companion animals in Australia. Underlying
respiratory tract disease was thought to be an important factor in
the development of the infections. Thorough investigation of chronic
lower respiratory tract disease in ferrets is recommended as this
species appears predisposed to atypical infections.
Descriptors: ferrets, anti-bacterial agents, mycobacterium
infections, bacterial pneumonia, bronchoalveolar lavage, fluid
microbiology, mycobacterium isolation, treatment outcome.

END QUOTE

Also recently Mycobacterium kansasii was found in a ferret:

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG17627




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