From:
Vicki Montgomery
Date: 2008-03-07 15:37:27 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Cryptosporidium
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, ferret-l@LISTSERV.FERRETMAILINGLIST.ORG, ferretcare@yahoogroups.com
I have long been a proponet of, "let's don't throw the baby out with the bath water", meaning don't over react to a few incidents of occurence, whether illness or injury. Common sense precautions should always be taken in everyday life, but hysteria can cause more problems than caution.
When discussions originally surfaced concerning taking ferrets outdoors I took the stand of, "a few incidences of infection, even death, should not prevent everyone from allowing their ferrets to enjoy the outdoors". This is not an indifference to a tragedy that may have occurred, but rather a thoughtful consideration. For example - if a high school senior ( or several high school seniors) attending school in Minneapolis get spinal meningitis, should high school seniors in Buloxi fear getting the same disease. No. With geographic differences and other circumstances at work, there is not a reasonable expectation of a widespread epidemic.
Let the hammer drop - softly - but it has come down. While I still feel the risk of anyone, including our ferrets, of contracting Cryptosporidium is not epidemic, there seems to be evidence from the CDC that Cryptosporidium infections are on the rise in humans.
The addressed source of infection is primarily swimming pools. While the AIDS virus and our canine friends nemisis, the Parvo virus, and even our own ferret's ECE are killed by bleach, Cryptosporidium seems to be much more resistant to death-by-chemical. Boiling is one method stated to kill Cryptosporidium, but you can't boil your yard. The protoza are resistant to free cholorine and it takes time for solution to be effective.
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/
Actually the CDC has several articles concerning Cryptosporidium
http://www.cdc.gov/search.do?q=chlorine+to+kill+hiv+&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&ud=1&oe=utf8&ie=utf8
Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia are reported to kill Cryptosporidium, but I doubt it would work, nor is it practical, to treat your yard or the local park where you ferrets may explore.
And I have to wonder - if humans are more likely than not permanently infected, once they do become infected, are our pets who survive also perpetually infected?
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/crypto.htm
Just food for thought.
Vicki Montgomery Tricks and Treats Rescue Greater Houston/Galveston Texas 713-472-6599 ferretfrenzy@yahoo.com tricksandtreatsrescue@yahoo.com
"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." ~ Dr. Albert Schweitzer
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