Can You Die...

[Jules H-T]

I only wash with water

Don't worry. I rinse for 2 seconds under the tap if I even bother with that, and in 25 years I've never caught anything.

Sure it could happen, but come on, what are the odds?

 

[newfishaddict]

I only wash with water

Don't worry. I rinse for 2 seconds under the tap if I even bother with that, and in 25 years I've never caught anything.

Sure it could happen, but come on, what are the odds?

The odds are very low. Staphylococcus aureus lives in all of our noses, and 1/3 of us have a pathogenic (coagulase positive ) S. aureus in our noses. It is also common on our skin.

My only minor concern is ingesting salmonella spp. when I am siphoning, the infective dose of pathogenic salmonella spp. is very low, as low as 100 bacterial cells, and a salmonella infection can be nasty but will only kill those who are immuno-compromised.

The TB is news to me, all the vets I work with say it is VERY unlikely.

No one has mentioned blue green algae....It can make a nasty toxin and care should be taken , as with salmonella, to ensure that you dont ingest tank water.

I think using gloves in a tank is excessive however I would think otherwise if I had any fish that can do damage to me…

Washing your hands after cleaning a tank is a good idea...

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Life is a funny thing and it's so easy to blow everything out of proportion. Granted it IS possible to catch diseases from aquariums but it is also rare! I can't wear tampons because within 15 minutes I get the symptoms for TSS.
I always have cuts, grazes and bruises on me. I always have. They actually called social services out on my parents as a child because I was always covered in bruises. Bless 'em they never laid a finger on me. I suspect it's given me a good immune system in that respect. But in short it boils down to who is more susceptable to these disease and it is them that are at risk. Trouble is who is more susceptable!!
I recommend using the self dry hand wash you find in hospitals also. It's sold in Boots and Tescos and is cheap. Takes all of 10 seconds to rub on your hands and arms and takes as little as 15 seconds to kill off the possible germs on you. It's so easy there's no excuse for not keeping clean!
P.