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Re: Fishkeeper's finger (was Re: Egg antifungal/antibacterial chemicals etc)
On 15 Nov 2000,, Wright Huntley wrote:
> It sure does look ugly, still. From my knuckle to my first joint on my
> middle right finger, it is an ugly purple with red border. The
> swelling there and in the lymph nodes in my arm have gone way down, as
> has the pain, but I want to warn folks to not get this nasty disease.
>
> It's easy to avoid. Keep hands with skin breaks out of tank water.
> Period! The bug is ubiquitous in fish tanks and can be there forever
> with no symptoms on the carrier fish. Even if it shows, the symptoms
> in the fish are often most ambiguous.
What is generally not know about this little bug is that it can't take
the heat (which is why wild discus take it so hard when put in our
tanks). If the temp of the finger is kept at 37 the bug will slowly die
off as its metabolism and proteins can't keep up at that temp.
Also, when ever you have worked in the tank WASH YOUR
HANDS IN SOAP! Any soap will do. Go to any microbiology lab
where they are growing things and the number one problem is
resisdiual soap that was left in the erlenmeyer. It makes a bug's life
really difficult.
> Your Doctor is almost certain to *not* know about it.
Most doctors only keep up to speed on stuff that is relevant to
every day practise. Always get a second oppinion form a
dermatologist for skin problems.
> Don't
> let them "try" tetracycline or other common broad-spectrum
> antibiotics.
Avoid antibiotics at all cost! unless you have a virulent infection.
The best deffense we have is the one we are born with. Antibiotics
circumvent our inbor defences. In the case of many
Mycobacterium species traditional antibiotics are useless. They
are finding that many Mycobacterium species possess the same
enzymes (N-acetyltransferase) that we use to metabolize drugs
and antibiotics. Inform you doctor of this and make sure he gets
the most recent and effective TB drug.
I'm fortunetly haven't sufferred from this problem yet as more than
likey nor have you. But it si good to keep this in the back of your
mind when working in your tanks and if something turns up. And
ALWAYS WAS YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP!
A few friendly words from the neighbourhood obsessive-
compulsive biochemist.
Bye I have to go wash my hands.
Tyrone Genade
http://www.geocities.com/tyronegenade/intro.html
Department Biochemistry Molecular Cell Physiology Lab
University of Stellenbosch Ph: +27-021-808-5880
Republic of South Africa fax: +27-021-808-5863
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"Everything works for good for those who love The Lord"
Romans 8:28
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