True or False: You can contract a flesh eating bacteria from your aquarium.

[revhtree]

Please tell me this is false! :sad:

True or False: You can contract a flesh eating bacteria from your aquarium.

DO NOT GOOGLE IMAGES...YUCK!

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), commonly known as flesh-eating disease or flesh-eating bacteria syndrome,[1] is a rare infection of the deeper layers of skin and subcutaneous tissues, easily spreading across the fascial plane within the subcutaneous tissue.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a quickly progressing and severe disease of sudden onset and is usually treated immediately with high doses of intravenous antibiotics.

Type I describes a polymicrobial infection, whereas Type II describes a monomicrobial infection. Many types of bacteria can cause necrotizing fasciitis (e.g., Group A streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes), Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio vulnificus, Clostridium perfringens, Bacteroides fragilis, Aeromonas hydrophila[2]). Such infections are more likely to occur in people with compromised immune systems.[3]

Historically, Group A streptococcus made up most cases of Type II infections. However, since as early as 2001, another serious form of monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis has been observed with increasing frequency,[4] caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Some published case reports have implied a possible link between use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and NF, though the evidence of the link was said to be weak because of a small number of case patients and it was unclear whether the drugs just masked the symptoms of a secondary infection or were a cause per se.[5]

source

 

[wysiwyg]

not an expert but im sure you can contract flesh eating bacteria from just about any source if you are not hygenic

 

[BarbH]

I would say that it is possible but not very common to get it from the aquarium.

 

[aquabull]

True. Although tuberculosis is more common.

 

[FaviaFreak]

I seriously doubt it but you should always be careful working in your tank

 

[KLR]

"DO NOT GOOGLE IMAGES..."

Thanks for making me curious, hahahahaha, and I agree.

I think you can encounter such bacteria if you are not hygienic like stated above.

 

[blkhawk10]

That's crazy! I hope that is not true or 1 in 1,000,000,000...I've never heard that before but I have seen pictures and it's nasty.

 

[FaviaFreak]

"DO NOT GOOGLE IMAGES..."

Thanks for making me curious, hahahahaha, and I agree.

I think you can encounter such bacteria if you are not hygienic like stated above.

I googled up images too...not a very pretty sight at all...horrible

 

[FF337]

True. But you can get it anywhwere. Odds are its on you skin right now.

 

[ritter6788]

I'm a hand wash freak but after reading this I'm headed to the sink.

 

[fab1971]

Thanks Rev. Now I'm going to have nightmares. Looks like something straight out of a zombie movie :sad:

 

[CoralClark]

I had to google it! Disgusting!! That's all I'll say!



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[secretreefer]

yes, as i type after taking a swim in 80/20 water to bleach solution...... seriously tho. A friend of mine went snorkeling in a harbor , next day he had some infections. I would think it's very possible if conditions are right.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

This girl had to have limbs amputated due to the flesh eating bacteria. She cut her calf after a fall from a zipline over the West Georgia River.

[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/aimee-copeland-painkillers_n_1606857.html?icid=maing-grid7|aim|dl1|sec1_lnk3&pLid=171000

I[/URL] think it is possible to contract it will working in our tanks in extreme circumstances.

 

[robert]

I'm not sure about flesh eating bacteria, but I have read that one microbiologist cultured the white film growing in his bio-pellets and found it was Proteus mirabilis.
The fishy smelling bateria responsible for urinary tract infections in humans.


In this case there is not much to worry about as there is a simple test. You take some of the film and smear it in your crotch - you'll know in about a week.

 

[uall8up]

Think about all of that bacteria that we try so hard to grow in our tanks, now think about that same bacteria getting into some sort of open wound you may have. I would say YES!!!

 

[coolfish5]

There are definetly a few bacterial infections that can and do occur in aquariums, aquaculture tanks as well as natural water. Using precautions like wearing gloves or washing hands should be a given for everyone. Definetly take extra care if you have a cut or are cut by something in the aquarium. Both Vibrio and Aeromonas as common aquatic bacteria. In a clean healthy aquarium the concentrations may be low, but especially with handling sick fish or very dirty tanks you could be at higher risk.

 

[thewackyreefer]

I'm not really sure but I sure got a heck of an infection in my hand/arm after being poked by a vermetid snail.

To make a long story short, I poked my finger, it bled. I continued to work in the tank after it stopped and I cleaned it up (big mistake). Everything was fine until about 12 hours later when I could see my finger getting infected. Mind you, this was on the weekend and I was trying to wait to see my physician on Monday rather than visiting the ER.

About 24 hours or so after the poke I could see the infection moving from my finger up through my wrist and into my arm, pretty scary sight. At that point I knew it was time to take a trip to the ER. It was a darn good thing I did. The doctor was pretty confident I would have ended up with long term damage to my hand and arm if I would have waited until Monday to get the infection under control. A few shots and an IV later I was sent home with some medication and all was well. Pretty scary stuff.