From:
"SukieC"
Date: 2010-10-08 17:37:37 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Intestinal atrophy?
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Okay, again Chagas is unlikely but I got curious so have read a bit more. In the Southern U.S. different bugs are involved than in some parts of South American but they are still in the same general grouping. It is quite rare here. In humans most who have it do not develop symptoms and are just silent hosts. Besides being caught from that bug it can on rare bases be passed from mother to fetus, in food, etc. In the U.S. it is thought to be a very rare disease but is not reportable except in two states and most medical personnel are unaware of it so don't check, plus the testing is unreliable though available so two or three tests may be needed.
Dogs can get it and in Texas are considered a reservoir for the illness. Since ferrets are descended from the same branch of Carnivora perhaps they also can get it on a very rare basis.
This one seems to have the most relevant info for your needs on that score of what I have found at this point:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/epilink/volume_65/issue_2/Docs/65_02_06.pdf
BTW, it can cause megaesophagus which got me thinking about another question:
has anyone looked to see if there is any prevalent regional aspect to that disorder? I am not necessarily thinking that it is or could be from Chagas in ferrets, just noticing that a disease can trigger it and many infections are rather regional so if MegaE is more common in certain parts of the U.S. maybe there is at times an infection trigger of some type in ferrets and perhaps that info can narrow it down.
This is far less likely in this ferret than other possible causes, including a tumor on the Vagus.
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