Thread by @AndersonEvolve

A painful reminder #TeamFish about proper precautions with fish husbandry and what happened to me 🧵 1/

https://twitter.com/AndersonEvolve/status/1508636760732958724

I've worked with aquariums and fish husbandry for nearly 20yrs with no issues. I've always assumed zoonotic diseases were rare and not something to stress too much about. 2/

I never put open, bleeding wounds in tanks, and figured that would be sufficient. Over the winter, this southern dude's skin did not appreciate how cruel the cold could be. 3/

The back of my hand was badly chapped with some redness, but I continued on fish husbandry as normal. I only washed my hands prior to eating or using bathroom. 4/

As a result, I got a mycobacterium infection. Mycobacterium can occur in fish tanks and there isn't an effective treatment for fishes that catch it. It's like tuberculosis for fish and can cause all sorts of issues for fish when it manifests, which it won't always. 5/

In humans, if it gets a hold, it sticks to extremities since it doesn'tdo well at high temps, so a whole body infection is incredibly unlikely. Still, it has to be cut out, damaging the tissue where it took hold. 6/

For me, all that redness will now be scarred and have reduced feeling. Thankfully no major issues occurred, but the hands are sensitive and complex. It could have been worse. 7/

How to protect yourself?
1st: admit zoonotics are a real concern in your fish room and they are likely already in your system.
2nd. Don't ever put an uncovered or open wound in the water even minor ones. Gloves exist, use them if needed 8/

3rd. Wash your damn hands! Immediately after finishing in the tank, go wash them. Make sure you have soap in your fish room. 9/

If you do have a weird growth, tell your Dr what you do and that this is a possibility. It took me 5 weeks to get a diagnosis and that was only after specialist realized I worked on aquariums. The first picture would have been less difficult to treat than the second. 10/

In short, never neglect proper safety protocols even if you've never had issues. I'll go back to doing what I love, but with a less cavalier attitude towards the risks.

For those asking. A myco infection happened in this system many years ago. Person cleaned system with a deep, deep wound (borderline stitches). They are culturing what they removed to determine best antibiotics to use. All circumstances point to myco (prior, symptom, chapped).