Catching Tuberculosis???

C

crissy7399

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Mar 10, 2006
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My Enose just died. started acting weird yesterday and it's back had been bent almost the whole time. Never really noticed anything else except towards the end it looked like it had two small sores or holes by his gills.

I looked up the bent body symptom, and it seems like TB is one of the reasons.

I had my hand in the tank yesterday and today, and then found online about being extra careful if your fish has TB. I do have two small scabs on my hand.

The nurse called me back saying I just need to come in. I don't want to pay $20 for them to say, well, we'll just have to wait and see.

Maybe he was malnutritioned? But it seemed like he was eating. I fed every other day to keep down the algae growth. I did see some pics of Enoses and there stomachs looked like they were bigger than mine, so maybe that was it? But can they get symptoms all of the sudden like mine did?
 
If you suspect that your fish had TB then I would not take any chances with your health. It is rare to get this from fish but it can happen. If you go in and they say that you are fine at least you will have peace of mind knowing that everything is going to be fine.

Marinemom
 
I asked the nurse, surely there is an incubation period. If they do a skin test, would it even show up positive now if I just came in contact with it?

She didn't know. just said for me to go in.

maybe I'll call back tomorrow.
ugh.

Wish i would have known there were dangers putting your hand in the tank.
 
If you have a health department go there to get a TB test.
I just had one last week and it only cost 5 dollars but I am from Arkansas so I am not sure if every state does this but I am sure they do.
They just give a shot under a small layer of skin under your forearm. Then you go back in 2 days to have it read.
Good Luck
 
Fish TB is a different disease than human TB. Fish TB causes a skin rash, and it is very difficult to catch. I've kept fish for 25 years and have had my arm in dirty tanks with sick fish while I had open cuts on my hand. I've never had a problem.

It's really not something to worry about.

It's also difficult to diagose a fish disease simply by looking at a fish. A bent back and open sores could be several things.
 
I will partly agree with RustyRay....in 35 years of aquarium keeping, with my hands in as many as 400 tanks daily, all I have ever had problems with is dry skin (Mycobacterium marinum infections are rare)......however...I know two people locally that in the past 3 years have contracted Mycobacterium marinum from working in tanks (both in LFSes, incidentally)...and the results are not pleasant or pretty. If the tests are not too expensive, and you have a concern, I suggest making certain, if only for your peace of mond.
 
Human skin infections are often misdiagnosed. Cause and effect does not mean that an aquarist with a skin infection caught it from their aquarium, or that it is fish TB.

From searching the web, i found that there only 150 confirmed cases of M marinum (fish TB). Here is the quote:

"In the US: Infections caused by M marinum are rare but well described in the literature. Estimated annual incidence is 0.27 cases per 100,000 adult patients. Of the approximately 150 cases described, most are case reports of cutaneous (skin) infection".

You have a better chance of winning the lottery.

I doubt very much, Toirtis, that the two people you knew with skin infections actually had M marinum. Unless you know two people who won the lottery separately. The odds are very much against it.

I think it is irresponsible to spread ideas about diseases that aren't really a threat, especially in the aquarium hobby, which has been suffering from a decline in popularity.
 
I think it is irresposible to brush it away. If there is the slightest risk(even if it is the tiniest risk) you must protect yourself. Only if the chance is 0 is when you have no worries.

Marinemom
 
Marinemom said:
I think it is irresposible to brush it away. If there is the slightest risk(even if it is the tiniest risk) you must protect yourself. Only if the chance is 0 is when you have no worries.

Marinemom
Click to expand...

Agreed! I would chance it at all, not only do you put yourself in danger but also the people around you.
 
That's just {Expletive} insane logic. I mean it's NOT logical at all. If you are actually worried about one of the rarest diseases on earth, then you need serious help.

There's a small chance that I'll be struck by lightning at any given moment. It can happen even when the sky is clear. The odds will never be 0. But I am not worried about.

If you stick your hand in your dirty aquarium, then wash you hands when you are done.

If you waste a doctor's time asking about a disease that you have a 1 in a million chance of getting, then you deserve high health care costs, because your wasting everyone's time.
 
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