Anyone had any experiences with fish tuberculosis in humans?
- Thread starter Too Many Choices
- Start date
a long time ago (early 2000's) I did some research on the topic because a fellow fish friend thought he had it.
he got a dermatologist appointment and it was not fish tb.
but fish tb is not the same as the lung infection that humans get. although it is caused by a similar bacterium.
it is caused by a marine bacterium (can't get it from freshwater) that causes a nasty skin infection called a granuloma, in this case often called "fish tank granuloma"
nowadays there must be much more about it on the web than back then, but it might get you started.
he got a dermatologist appointment and it was not fish tb.
but fish tb is not the same as the lung infection that humans get. although it is caused by a similar bacterium.
it is caused by a marine bacterium (can't get it from freshwater) that causes a nasty skin infection called a granuloma, in this case often called "fish tank granuloma"
nowadays there must be much more about it on the web than back then, but it might get you started.
From the research I've done it's caused by mycobacterium marinum, which is in freshwater fish I think, it also seems there is a couple of other types, there's a little bit of info on the net but not much.
What led your friend to think he had it?
What led your friend to think he had it?
he had a series of large red welts from his hand up his arm.
from what I recall, the mycobacterium was only found in marine fish, apparently fish mongers can get it too.
but I could be wrong. its been a while lol
from what I recall, the mycobacterium was only found in marine fish, apparently fish mongers can get it too.
but I could be wrong. its been a while lol
Fish harbor a lot of pathogenic micro-organisms. Here's a thread by an MFK member who became critically ill from an infection she picked up in her fish tank.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...01941-The-unseen-dangers-lurking-in-our-tanks
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...01941-The-unseen-dangers-lurking-in-our-tanks
O yes, a friend of ours recently cornered my husband to warn him about a lady she knows who got deathly ill from an infection from her aquarium. She was in danger of losing her hand, and parts of her flesh had to be cut away. Drs battled the infection with antibiotics long term. the struggle with her hand went on for a couple years. (?)
I don't know which bacteria, as our friend didn't know ;-] the infection also entered through minor cuts.
I don't know which bacteria, as our friend didn't know ;-] the infection also entered through minor cuts.
petspoiler, the infection that person got sounds like an Aeromonas hydrophilia infection. It's a very aggressive gram negative infection that can cause necrosis. There was a pretty high profile case of a zipliner here in GA that got infection from injuries acquired while falling into a river.
Fishkeeper's granuloma is caused by a species of non-tuberulosis mycobacteria (NTM). These bacteria live normally on submerged surfaces, like aquarium decor and interior of plumbing -- and it doesn't mind changes in salinity so much because it has a waxy cell wall. Normally doesn't cause problems unless it's introduced into a cut. It generally creates red, localized welts, and won't spread in the same way that gram-negative infections will. I'll include a link (hidden so you don't get grossed out) of what those infections look like in tattoo rashes -- one of the suppliers was mixing their grey washes with non-distilled water.
Fishkeeper's granuloma is caused by a species of non-tuberulosis mycobacteria (NTM). These bacteria live normally on submerged surfaces, like aquarium decor and interior of plumbing -- and it doesn't mind changes in salinity so much because it has a waxy cell wall. Normally doesn't cause problems unless it's introduced into a cut. It generally creates red, localized welts, and won't spread in the same way that gram-negative infections will. I'll include a link (hidden so you don't get grossed out) of what those infections look like in tattoo rashes -- one of the suppliers was mixing their grey washes with non-distilled water.
Yeah, I was probably off topic, since it wasn't TB. just sort of reacted to the subsequent posts.
It kind of put me off that our friend went to my husband with the warning, instead of me. thought it was funny. but my husband isn't the overly reactive type. Lol.
Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that it's off-topic at all! 
I think it's good to remind folks that there is more than one type of potentially aquatic-acquired infection. I personally think the Aeromonas one is vastly less likely, since it'd require a VERY deep puncture wound that couldn't be cleaned properly to cause that sort of damage.
I think it's good to remind folks that there is more than one type of potentially aquatic-acquired infection. I personally think the Aeromonas one is vastly less likely, since it'd require a VERY deep puncture wound that couldn't be cleaned properly to cause that sort of damage.