Mycobacterium marinum. Have you heard of this?

[prodman]

After reading this article I After bought some gloves.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

[coqui1pr]

I've heard from that disease but never saw what it can do better keep my hands clean im buying some gloves too.

Nestor

[o2manyfish]

If you are playing with corals I recommend everyone wear surgical gloves --- Costco 10 bucks for 300 gloves.

I have been involved with the fish hobby (salt) for over 20 years. When I got involved with the SPS corals, I damaged the tissue on my fingertips from handling the corals.

It got so bad that my finger tips looked like raw steak. I went to the dermatologist, and the neurologist.

When the tips finally healed (kept my hands out of the tanks for 6 weeks) my finger tips were numb. It has been almost 2 years now, and the tips of the first 3 fingers on both hands still have no feeling.

I wear the gloves all the time now - Whether feeding the fish, or cleaning the carbon bag. It's healthier for the tank and heathier for me.

Of course even with the gloves, I have a spine from an angel fish stuck in my thumb, and that doesn't feel so good - LOL

Dave B

[nyfireman3097]

Hey dave arent there stuff on those gloves that arent good for the tank ??? If so what do you look for to buy ???

[o2manyfish]

You buy the non-powdered latex gloves and everything is okay.

For those of you that are lonely -- You can use the non-lubricated latex items collecting dust in your medicine cabinet.

Dave B

[mesocosm]

Greetings All !


Non-powdered latex gloves ... essential equipment for reefkeepers.


FYI ...

Mycobacterium marinum
emedicine.com

Multiple Links regarding Mycobacterium marinum
diseasesdatabse.com



The marine environment literally abounds with biotoxins. For example ... my personal favorite ... palytoxin ...

Distribution and sequestration of palytoxin in coral reef animals.
Gleibs S, Mebs D.
Zentrum der Rechtsmedizin, University of Frankfurt, Germany.

Abstract

In the reefs off the Colombian coast (Caribbean Sea) and around Lizard Island, Australia (Pacific), palytoxin (PTX), which has been detected in zoanthid species of the genus Palythoa, also occurred in various other marine organisms living in close association with zoanthid colonies, e.g. sponges (Porifera), soft corals (Alcyonaria), gorgonians (Gorgonaria), mussels, and crustaceans. Predators, e.g. polychaete worms (Hermodice carunculata), a starfish (Acanthaster planci) and fish (Chaetodon species) feeding on Palythoa colonies, accumulate high toxin concentrations in their organs, where PTX is stored in its active form. The high level of toxin tolerance observed in marine animals may enable the wide distribution of PTX in marine biota and its transport and sequestration in food chains.

source

HTH

[mesocosm]

Greetings All !

Apologies for wandering off onto the palytoxin tangent ... I'll stop after this.

I posted this in another forum when the question arose as to whether or not palytoxin could become airborne ...

But airborne? ... this morning I would have said, "No way" ... but ... "By extrapolation, a toxic dose in a human would be about 4 micrograms. It is the most toxic organic substance known!" Only 4 micrograms ... and this stuff can be sequestered in bacteria ... why not?


MORE DEFINITIVELY ...


Quote:
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From: http://www.nap.edu/openbook/0309068754/html/189.html

Strategies to Protect the Health of Deployed U.S. Forces: Detecting, Characterizing, and Documenting Exposures (2000)
Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems (CETS)
Commission on Life Sciences (CLS)

Animal: Palythoa (soft corals)
Lethal Dose: 0.08 to 0.04 microGrams
Notes: Lethal and Fast Acting. Stable.

Required Detection Cabability-Air: 0.035 mg/m<SUP>3</SUP> (air)
Required Detection Cabability-Water: 0.006 mg/L (water)




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Required Detection Cabability-Air: 0.035 mg/m<SUP>3</SUP> (air) ... yikes ...

If the US military has actually looked at this ...



This is more than I wanted to know ...

And we all thought are corals just looked cool ...

HTH

[coralite]

I have known of this bacteria as long as I have been in the hobby and as much as I have handled marine life without protection, I have never developed any rash. I have seen scars from people who have had this disease and I am inclined to believe that certain conditions are required for successful infection. It doenst hurt to be careful either way.
On another note, I know a guy with a 300 gallon reef tank who is allergic to artificial seawater so he has to use shoulder length gloves to do anything in his reef. That's real dedication.