It can also be passed via fomites, meaning that you can handle an infected animal and then handle another, thereby passing it to the uninfected rat. These animals may not always be showing symptoms of SDA while able to transmit the disease, so it is very important that you do not handle rats in pet shops, at friends houses, or at shows without washing your hands with a disinfectant, and even changing your clothes before handling your own rats again. It is always recommended to quarantine any new rats, or rats you have taken to a show for at least two weeks prior to introducing them back into your colony. Although this may be successful, it is still possible for your quarantined colony to be infected unless you can quarantine the new animals in another building. Rooms sharing the same air in the house are not adequate for quarantining when disease is spread through the air.
Infected animals carry and secrete the virus for about a week.
The disease can occur frequently in a particular population, but the organism does not exist in a latent, carrier state. I strongly recommend that, no matter what virus or bacterial infection you have run through your colony, you make it a point NOT to breed for a specified period of time and NOT to bring in any new blood. Unless you can afford to have your animals tested and know exactly what has infected them, don t take any chances. Make sure you protect your rats and those of friends and aquaintances around you. Don t sell any of your rats until all symptoms are gone and be sure to let the buyer know that you have just had an illness run though your colony.