Do You Wear Protection When Handling Your Fish?

[Dieses Madchen]

I'm the same way Inchworm. As a lab technician, I am well aware of the many toxins that are in different environment. You stand a chance at getting parasites and fungus working in your garden, just like you would stand a chance on getting an infection from a fishtank. But the fact is, its actually vary rare, expecially if you have good hygeine practices. Me personally, I worry more about getting bit by my bigger fish than I do about catching something from the tank itself.

 

[phocoena]

I know Fish TB crosses the species barrier when it comes to being pathogenic, but there is also the question of what other bacteria that are found in the tank that are also pathogenic to humans?

Mycobacteria are also known to survive latently for months, and therefore any other bad bacteria in the tank that is not showing as an infection also has to have an ability a latent period.

 

[nehpets81]

Do people who work in the industry wear gloves?

 

[StandbySetting]

They are provided but it is up to your whether or not you use them, they're basic personal protective equipment.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I should I suppose really, but invariably don't (I need the dexterity more than the protection).

However, as others said, I use anti-bacterial soap afterwards.

LOL!

 

[afremont]

But really, how many documented cases of fish TB are there? And if you have a fish with possible TB, wouldn't you notice?

I think the problem is that there may be many more cases that aren't documented because the doctors don't check for mycobacteria unless you happen to tell them that you are an aquarist and they snap to it. The effects are not like TB that humans usually get attacking the lungs, it attacks your skin if I recall correctly.

As for knowing your fish are sick, I recall reading that fish can have TB for many months with no obvious symptoms. Hence one of the main symptoms is a bent spine from long term degeneration of the bones in the spine.

I don't wear gloves either, but I've thought about it more for the fish than myself.