Do you Know that Fish can Transmit Diseases to Humans?
In this particular short article, I would prefer to briefly focus on fish aquarium diseases which can be transmitted to man. A few can be not easy to cure and some can be deadly.
Fish TB (MYCOBACTERIUM MARINUM), also called fish tuberculosis, fish tank granuloma, swimming pool granuloma. Linked to human TB and leprosy.
•Bacteria are very tolerant to medication. Usually happens on extremities (hands, feet). Entrance through wounds. Incubation ranges from 2 days to 2 years; commonly takes about 2 weeks for granuloma to appear at the site of infection. Infected area is probably pink to purple in color, may release pus, and could be distressing to touch.
•Treated with human TB drugs (local doctors get minocycline, rifampin, ethambutol, and biaxin); usually takes a long time to get rid of (year or more).
•People have gotten fish TB from fish spine punctures, cleaning fish/shrimp/crabs, getting scratched on fish tanks, from rose bushes and injuring bare feet in parking lots (infected water transferred via air during storms), mouth-siphoning fish tanks, dolphin bites, diving around reefs, splinters from fish net handles, etc. – Usually not fatal. Can get into joints and mimic arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome.
•Most frequent type of aquatic infection seen in the skin area.Recently claimed that flowerhorn cichlid do not take harmful microorganisms which can be transmitted to humans.
VIBRIO infections.
•Several species can infect humans: V. ALGINOLYTICUS (wound infections), V.DAMSELA (wound/systemic infections), V. PARAHAEMOLYTICUS (gastroenteritis/wound infections),V.VULNIFICUS (wound/gastroenteritis/systemic infections).
•Systemic infections by means of vulnificus or damsela could be deadly, or may result to limb amputation. Systemic infections got by means of injuries.
•Incubation of vulnificus is 1-5 days; median time is 28 hours. Indicators consist of high fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, seizures, fluid-filled skin lesions, etc.
•Gastrointestinal infections through intake of vulnificus (ingesting raw oysters, etc) and also other species of Vibrio may cause immediate dehydration, and can result in systemic infections in case bacteria get into blood. Vulnificus can exponentially increase so rapidly that blood vessels and organs get blocked…sometimes bringing about amputation or death. – Antibiotics applied are actually tetracycline, ampicillin, penicillin, gentamycin, etc.
ERYSIPELOTHRIX RHUSIOPATHIAE, also called erythema migrans, fish-handler’s disease, fish poisoning, fish hand, sealer’s finger, whale finger, blubber finger, etc.
•Disease mainly occupational …..people handling animals or their feces could get it, e.g.: butchers, meat-processing workers, animal caretakers, farmers, fishermen, veterinarians, cooks/housewives, sewer workers, etc. Can remain in frozen meats.
•Incubation 1-7 days. Fever, malaise, muscle and joint pains, severe headaches. Infections can go internal to C. nervous system/heart. Most frequently seen on hands-can cause acute arthritis of finger joints.
•Bacterial infection via break in skin. Maintained by many animals, like dolphins, shellfish, and fish. – Sometimes known as “diamond skin disease,” where diamond-shaped welts happen on the skin because of infection.
•Effects usually benign, nonetheless tend to be lethal. Systemic remedy is to use antibiotics.
SALMONELLA – more than 1600 serotypes recognized.
•Infection by swallowing. Carried by numerous forms of animals.
•Mild to severe gastroenteritis. Are usually lethal via rapid dehydration, septicemia, fecal infections.
•Incubation is 7-72 hours.
MAD FISH DISEASE – caused by STREPTOCOCCUS INIAE.
•Lately revealed from touching tilapia. Infection by way of pierced wounds.
•Could cause fever, shaking, meningitis, arthritis, and skin/blood infections.
•To safeguard yourself – tend not to take care of organisms/water/tanks when you have skin breaks; tend not to dive in case you have open wound; don’t mouth-siphon tank water, do not consume fresh seafood, etc. Clean hands, etc. well following cleaning fish tanks, with seafood, and after diving. If punctured, or wounded under water, allow for the wound to bleed unhampered for a little while to get rid of injected bacteria, next sterilize and protect wound.
Those people with destabilized immune cells are at higher possibility for acquiring the aforementioned infections. So people with AIDS, diabetes, liver dysfunction, kidney problems, or starting cancer treatment method, etc. needs to be extra watchful.
Toxins made by RED TIDE microorganisms and PFIESTERIA PISCICIDA can affect individuals in numerous means.
•PFIESTERIA exposure can result in skin sores, memory loss, narcosis (“drugged” effect), reddening of eyes, severe headaches, blurred vision, nausea/vomiting, difficulty in breathing, kidney/liver dysfunction, severe cognitive impairment (can’t remember name, address, etc), etc.
•Relapses have took place 6 years following preliminary exposure.
•PFIESTERIA is now classed being a BIOHAZARD III, and are usually explored only in specially-equipped labs. If I were I fish hobbyist I’d rather focus on breeding baby flowerhorn.