mycobacterium marinum

[ghostman]

Hi Mike,
A combination of sulfa and rifampin for 9 months completely cleared it up. I had 3 surgeries to debulk the lesions and use for biopsies. It went away very slowly, so slow that I thought it wasn't going to go away. I have a few scar tissue lumps that will never go away, but no major damage. It was scary for a while.

 

[DragonWarriorPo]

Is this the same as marine TB?

 

[ghostman]

It is. I've never had TB, and actually just got tested for it at my job since I deal with a lot of patients with TB. It figures that I would be exposed to fish TB and not human TB Gross. My scars look a lot better now, and nobody comments on them. I did play hockey in college and some beer leagues so I have enough scars anyway

 

[Tradewinds]

Hi Mike,
A combination of sulfa and rifampin for 9 months completely cleared it up. I had 3 surgeries to debulk the lesions and use for biopsies. It went away very slowly, so slow that I thought it wasn't going to go away. I have a few scar tissue lumps that will never go away, but no major damage. It was scary for a while.

Damn... you really do love the hobby! I think a nine month recovery might push me over the edge to take up a safer hobby, like sky diving.

Glad to hear all is well now. Did you break the tank down and start over? If not, how did you remove the mycobacterium from the tank?

 

[ghostman]

I didn't break down the tank, in fact I went bigger with a 240g cube in a new house. I have a whole room dedicated to the fish tank. I don't think it's possible to remove the mycobacterium from the tank, its always there. The factors for it affecting humans are many. Hands scratched in your tank, open cuts, hangnails, etc. Wash hands thoroughly after being in the tank. And also if your immune system can handle it. I must have missed a step somewhere in there accidentally.

 

[adnedarn]

I'm just building my first tank and things like this are a bit scary. Seems to be quite a few in the tanks that can give you a sting, bite, or nasty infection. I'm glad you finally beat it and are still around though. I'm curious if you are still religiously using the long gloves when you work in the tank or have you given that up? My hands too are pretty beaten up from day to day stuff...
Andrew

 

[ghostman]

Hi Andrew. I still use the long gloves for handling rock and cleaning the tank. I do admit that I do not use the gloves for delicate work like gluing frags or working near some delicate corals. The gloves are bulky and cumbersome for delicate work. I still religiously wash my hands after doing anything tank related. I wouldn't worry about this if I were you, but be aware that things can happen. My hands look much better now, but I'll never be a hand model

 

[adnedarn]

I hear ya, there is something similar in peat moss that we are warned about in carnivorous plants (since we work with the stuff so much) and I've never used gloves for that either. :-\

Thanks!

 

[TellyFish]

FWIW, I have been doing this for a while and almost never wear gloves unless I have cuts on my hands.

Of course, it only takes the one time. I still choose not to worry too much about it.