Below is a post from ProMED (a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>)
MYCOBACTERIUM MARINUM – USA: (NEW YORK CITY) CHINATOWN, RAW FISH EXPOSURE
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Date: Wed 5 Mar 2014
Source: NBC/New York [edited]
New York City is seeing an outbreak of a rare skin infection that comes from handling raw seafood, causing skin lesions, pain, and swelling to the hands and arms and even difficulty moving fingers, officials said.
Health officials are warning those who purchase raw fish and seafood at Chinatowns in Manhattan, Queens, or Brooklyn to wear waterproof gloves when handling those items, and to seek medical care if they discover red bumps on hands or arms.
The bacteria causing the infection are called _Mycobacterium marinum_ and they get into the body through a cut or other injury, the Health Department said. If the infection goes deep enough, surgery may be necessary.
Officials say 30 cases have been identified, and all of those report handling live or raw fish bought at markets in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens.
The infections, which are treated with antibiotics, were reported to the Health Department by doctors, officials said. The Health Department said those who eat seafood from these markets are not at risk.—
_M. marinum_ infection occurs following skin and soft-tissue injuries that are exposed to an aquatic environment or fish. First described as “swimming-pool granuloma”, when swimming pools were not routinely chlorinated, _M. marinum_ skin infections are now most often acquired from aquarium maintenance and called “fish tank granuloma”. The infection usually presents as indolent, localized nodular or ulcerating skin lesions on mainly the upper limb of otherwise healthy people, but can evolve into an ascending lymphangitis that resembles sporotrichosis or can spread to deeper tissues, resulting in tenosynovitis, arthritis, and osteomyelitis.
Rifampin and ethambutol in combination has been reported to be the antibiotics used most often to treat _M. marinum_ infection. Other antibiotic options with reliable activity include clarithromycin, doxycycline, and minocycline. The duration of therapy is at least 3 months and is significantly longer for patients with deeper structure infections than for patients with infections limited to the skin and soft tissue. Most cases of invasive _M. marinum_ infection will also require surgical debridement as an adjunct to antimicrobial treatment.
– Mod.ML
What it could mean for you, and your fishes? Read about it in an excerpt from my publication by clicking this link:
Mycobacteria (Fish Vetting Essentials)
Dr Richmond Loh
Looking for more books? Check out this site.
