Blood worm allergies?

[fishhead0103666]

I’ve been meaning to post this for a while but wanted to confirm a few things.

I fed some Hikari freeze dried blood worms about a week ago and I guess some of the dust was on my hands and I touched my face.
Within minutes my face got red, my eyes tested up to the point tears started rolling down, my eyes were incredibly itchy to the point they looked bloodshot from rubbing, and after a while my hands got really itchy continuously to the point I had to literally scrape them with my pocket knife to get any relief.

I got frozen blood worms a day or two after that and soon after feeding them the hand I used to stir the blood worms and handle them for incredibly itchy just like with the freeze dried blood worms.

I got some disposable gloves and since using them I have not experienced any of the effects I experienced before.


So, what do y’all think?

 

[kno4te]

It’s from the blood worms. Just use gloves.

 

[fishhead0103666]

10-4 Ron.
I’ve heard this is highly uncommon, is this correct?

 

[kno4te]

10-4 Ron.
I’ve heard this is highly uncommon, is this correct?

Don’t know how uncommon it is but haven’t seen many hobbyists complain of it on here.

 

[deeda]

I'm allergic also so just stop using blood worms. I did find one older post but I'm sure there are more, Search for Blood worm allergy.

 

[Red Cichlids]

I'm allergic too. Sometimes my hands would get super itchy from feeding the frozen bloodworms or live tubifex. Just remember to wash your hands after feeding them. They are great food, so I hate to see you take them off the menu. If you have another bad allergy bout, you might have to stop feeding them though. For now, finish up the freeze dried ones and don't replace them at least.

I'm allergic to dogs, but still have three because I really like having them. I just wash my hands after I pet them and they can only stay in the common area. Bedrooms are a no-go.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

10-4 Ron.
I’ve heard this is highly uncommon, is this correct?

Highly common. Lots of people here said they get it based on the last few threads. I get it. Just make sure to wash my hands well after feeding them.

If not, I get into a bad cycle of rub my eye, starts getting water and irritated, rub my eye and make it worse, gets more irritated...Usually pretty bad before I actually notice what's happening and stop.

 

[tlindsey]

Yes I'm allergic to both freeze dried and frozen blood worms.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Interesting, I see it is far more common than I initially thought as I had thought it was somewhere in the realm of around 1 in every 1,000 fish keepers that are allergic to blood worms.

I do wonder if someone can become allergic to them through repeated exposure like I’ve heard in another animal keeping community, can’t remember which animal group it was though.

 

[MrsE88]

I would think it’s possible to become allergic overtime with repeated exposure. That’s why washing up after handling them is important. Or wear gloves like you are doing now. I try not to handle them too much. My mom has become allergic to nearly everything over a 20yr span. So I try not to over expose myself to things that might bother me in the future. Not sure it works that way, haha. But it can’t hurt to be mindful.