Medical/Injuries from Reefkeeping - Page 5

t.trezona · #**101** 01/25/2005, 12:18 AM

Have you been in your tank recently and if so what was time relation to the development of your hives? When hives occur as a consequence of an allergic reaction they generally happen immediately upon exposure to the allergin or fairly quickly thereafter such as within 30 min or so. You should generally present to an MD with hives. If they are associated with any shortness of breath or chest tightness you should call the paramedics or at the least be taken to an ER ASAP as this is life threatening! It is possible it could be related to your tank, but rather unlikely.

Ludwigia73 · #**102** 01/25/2005, 10:50 AM

Not really a tank related injury, but worth sharing: Me, my dad, and my brother in law were diving off hollywood. Triggerfish have been getting to be a problem in the last dozen years... fishermen catching snapper and grouper and grunt, keeping everything they catch, collectors RAPING the reefs of ornamentals, and pretty much the major thing left is triggerfish. They follow you, they bug you, etc. When you go fishing you put in a chumbag, dozens will come right to your boat and eat out of the bag. I caught 5 triggers, all above 8" in 1 sweep of my landing net. Anyway, I look over at my dad, and a trigger was swimming within a couple of inches of him, lightly picking at his wetsuit. I signal him to look, and he whacked it with his ticklestick. I look over a few minutes later, just in time to see the trigger grab the end of his glove, and shake it like a rottweiler. The trigger was about 12", I think it was just a gray trigger. This time I whacked it one, a good one! About 5 minutes later, probably the same trigger, went right up to my brother in law, and bit him right in the temple. Took a huge chunk of meat out, he still has a strange scar. Still laugh at him for that, but the triggers are starting to get mean down there.

On my first dive, I found a bristle worm (didn't know what they were). It was about 9" long, and 2" wide. Lots of little tufts of hair, and pink in the middle. Neat critter. Yeah, I played with him, even with gloves on, Half hour later I couldn't move my hand. All those calcerous spines worked their way through my brand new neoprene gloves. I couldn't even drive home.

Shablin · #**103** 01/25/2005, 11:51 PM

Its about time the reef fought back!!

ocelot27 · #**104** 02/01/2005, 10:27 PM

We actually have a mini epidemic of atypical mycobacterial skin infections going around the U.S. now. I've seen several cases of mycobacterial skin infection in the past few weeks alone. The species involved is usually one of the following: m. marinum, m. chelonae, m. abscessus, m. fortuitum and m. ulcerans.

The classic story is a wound that get's infected from colonized swimming pool water - we actually call it "swimming pool granuloma" even when the infection is not contracted from a swimming pool.

The other classic source is, of course, from aquariums - fresh and marine.

More recently, we've been seeing women with non-healing boils and ulcers on their legs. It's been found that m. marinum and it's pals like to colonize foot baths in nail salons - the bug is thought to get into the skin from minor abrasions secondary to leg shaving after a visit to the nail salon. Salon goers be forewarned! We just got a letter from the state of California urging us to report all cases of nail salon-aquired atypical mycobacterial infections.

Atypical mycobacterial infections are not deadly (unless you're severely immunocompromised) but rather just a pain in the but to deal with as they respond slowly to antibiotics. If you think you have a non-healing sore or swelling at the site of an abrasion that was exposed to your tank water, you should consider this infection before things get the point of the finger at the biginning of this thread - ouch!

As a final note, don't everybody freak out and think this is going to happen to you - it's a fairly uncommon infection. It's not like everyone who cleans pools, swims, has an aquarium, or goes to nail salons gets this eventually. I grew up a competitive swimmer, played in creeks daily, and have had many aquariums and have never had an atypical mycobacterial infection. Just be aware that it's out there and that way maybe you can get on top of it faster if it does happen to you.

Hope this helps - john

reed_5point0 · #**105** 02/15/2005, 03:12 AM

not home reef related but is marine. I was running down the beach in South Padre TX. and sliped up and kissed a Man Of War. got his stingers down my neck and across my face. and had a Jellyfish swim up my board shorts while surfing in Costa Rica. Could have been the 4ft Cuda we say while snorkeling later that day tho. (Gratefull he wasnt interested in us...and that we could swim fast.)

Though I have had my old Lion brush up against me one night, but didnt feel differient just scared the hell out of me. the Man of War is one of the most painfull things that has ever happened to me, and I can withstand alot of pain I have broken several bones between skating and riding motor cross. but that sensation does not go away and warm water intensified it alot for about 10 min then it slowly began to swell and tingle for a few days. and im not alegic to bee stings and such so I didnt expect much of a reaction. Words of wisdom watch where you fall.

reed_5point0 · #**106** 02/15/2005, 12:44 PM

sorry hit quote while trying to edit.

astronaut · #**107** 02/15/2005, 07:37 PM

what happened with the guy and his dog? everybody keeps mentioning it, but...

NEVERMIND. i skipped over the one little part about it. whoops

onereefnotenuf · #**108** 02/15/2005, 09:52 PM

mine is not livestock related but definently reef related. i mix my ro water and salt in a 55 gallon tank with a full hood and heater.
i use a mj1200 for flow to mix things up and to pump into my reef tank. one day when the 55 was about 75% empty the hose which was attached to the mj with a rubber band came off. the mj was facing straight up and the stream of water cascaded beautifly onto the top of the old style dial hang on the back heater. not thinking, i quickly opened the lid and reached in to turn the powerhead sideways and got the biggest surprise of my life. the stream was energized from the heater and as soon as i toched it my arm jerked the whole top off the tank iwas knocked back into my basement wall and hit my head and hit the floor before i knew what hit me. wierd thing is my arm was numb for days and i haven't looked at a heater the same way since!

the second and less dramatic thing is, i can't keep my forearms away from my mh bulbs. at the rate i am going, i will have scars from elbow to wrist in a couple years.

pjpeels · #**109** 02/16/2005, 05:12 PM

The ViaAqua Titanium Heater is a good product that will help minimize heater related injuries.
I have burned myself on my 250watt Iwasakis a couple of times on the top of my fingers.

yarquint · #**110** 02/17/2005, 06:35 PM

sorry i didn't read through everything on here, but yes, coral skeletons are used to graft human bones. My sister is an orthopaedic surgeon and was telling me/asking me about it. I believe she said they use a specific kind of coral from the Red Sea, but most likely there are other sources. Sorry I can't provide more specific info since i know some of you out there would be interested. No injuries here, just mental. Lucky considering I've worked with a 14 ft. anaconda, 2 sting rays, 5 ft. electric eel, pirahna, sharks...oh, and a bizarre African semi-lung fish called a Mamba (not the snake) which is known for removing hands and fingers...anyway. My brother once choked on a pepperidge farm goldfish if that counts.

Shablin · #**111** 02/18/2005, 12:55 AM

Makes some sense: bone=hydroxyapetite = mostly calcium carbonate; I could see it being an adequate base for a graft. I wonder if this was part of that 'coral calcium' fad/non-sense from the past couple years?!

Lowredranger · #**112** 02/22/2005, 03:00 PM

my only problem was i once stuck myself with 2 of the barbs off from my lionfish when moving rock was numb for a couple of days but no big problems it was only a dwarf lionfish.

Coralmkr1 · #**113** 02/24/2005, 05:01 PM

I was removing some pesky aptaisia anemones from a small piece of live rock. I was trimming the rock with some fragging shears, snipping off the tips of rock with aptasia's on them. As I popped the last aptasia off, it flew into my eye!! Ouch, it stung like mad. I flushed my eye out with water immediately. However, my eye was super red and irritated for days. I now wear protective eye lenses when fragging anything. I actually picked some uv proof/protective glasses from home depot. They work great. And, if you think about it, after years of staring at metal halides with the canopy open, a little uv protection for your retinas isn't such a bad idea!!

kennethl · #**114** 02/28/2005, 02:42 PM

read that last post and had to share to make Coralmkr1 feel better.

last week I splashed skimmate in my eye while emptying the skimmer..yuck.. I woke up the next morning with my eye glued shut and a very nasty case of pink eye to show for it.

Several years ago I was on a diving trip and got hit by some fire coral and then followed it up with jelly fish stings.. that got infected and turned into a softball sized cyst requiring surgery two weeks later..

Shablin · #**115** 03/01/2005, 03:34 PM

Not that it really makes much of difference, but fire corals are more related to jellyfish than coral, so I guess you were stung by jellyfish twice.........

What kind of cyst did you get?

brahm · #**116** 03/02/2005, 04:58 AM

When I mess with my tank to much I get what i like to call "zombie thumb" the skins on my left thumb dries out and it cracks and won't heal for a long time...how much of it has to do with me always putting my hand in the tank i'm not sure. but i try to make an effort not to use my left hand in the tank It's really gross looking, multiple layers of skin showing and a blood crack down the middle.. It's not swallon or anything and it doesn't hurt. Just gross looking.

sunfish11 · #**117** 03/02/2005, 03:58 PM

Wow, this is interesting stuff!!! I just read the article on Mycobacterium marinum and realized I am treating fish in my native tank for this. I am using an antibiotic on the tank recomended by the LFS and it isn't working. I never knew that it was transmittable to humans though so I was trying to save them. I am afraid those fish are getting euthanized and the whole tank is going to be sterilized. It started when one small fish got it, and we flushed him after it was clear he wasn't getting any better. Then it seemed everyone else was ok until they started getting dramatic symtems. I should get a picture of one. The fish are all black (they are bluegill), pop eyes(bloody), open lesions, fin rot, gasping, and lethargic. After reading that article and these first hand accounts of this infection, it's me or the fish so the fish are going to Davy Jones' Locker. I am getting rid of the fish that appear healthy as well. I don't want to take the risk. I keep looking at the little cut on my hand and hoping I haven't stuck it in the tank. I don't think I have

thirst · #**118** 03/08/2005, 05:52 PM

I think this thread should be stickied... This is really serious stuff that everyone should read. Thanks for the information guys.... time to get some gloves.

brahm · #**119** 03/08/2005, 05:55 PM

btw I found away to battle zombie thumb..such common sense but it wasn't until this thead that i started doing it.. I just rinse my hands off after I stick them in the tank.. wow... thats it..lol

Shablin · #**120** 03/11/2005, 07:11 PM

Here's an interesting thing I just read about. It seems a drug company is developing a new pain treatment derived from a toxin obtained from our friend the cone snail. They say it will be delivered intrathecally (ie. like an epidural). It is a 'synthetic conopeptide' called Ziconotide (trade name Prialt) by Elan Pharmaceuticals. I wonder if some day they'll be mixing it with Bo-tox?!!

reefrat · #**121** 03/12/2005, 06:20 PM

im wondering if anyone has heard of dark spots showing up on their skin that was caused by a tank related illness....i have about 6 or 7 spts that showed up on my leg...i was told it was a skin infection...ive taken 2 rounds of antibiotics and used anti-bacterial deodarant soap(?)......its done absolutely nothing...i called my dermotologist for an appointment at the begginging of march and i cant get in till mid april (B.S.)..they dont hurt but i have gotten more spots as time goes on....and yes i have gone into my tank without gloves

Shablin · #**122** 03/13/2005, 07:57 PM

any pics?? It would be nusual to be from your tank unless your dipping your leg in it (these infections ore usually local/due to direct skin to organism contact). There are common types of eczema (ie. nummular) which can look like an infection. Are the spots itchy? What color? How big? Again, pics help a lot (unless privacy is an issue - Ill have to send you a HIPPAA form to sign.........)

reefrat · #**123** 03/13/2005, 09:42 PM

i can get some pictures tomorrow. I am calling my doctor again tomorrow as well. They are a faint brownish color and are about a half inch long at the most. Its never itched and it doesnt hurt, but i have gotten more as time has gone on. i was just curious if anyone has heard of anything. I couldnt find anything about it online.

reefrat · #**124** 03/14/2005, 03:19 PM

doc called, said it it most likely tank related and it will take a while to get rid of it. He gave me some topical cream...and was pretty ticked a dont use gloves

Shablin · #**125** 03/14/2005, 09:14 PM

Again, unless you stick your leg in the tank, it is unlikely (not impossible) to be tank related. Faint brownish lesions are unlikely to be infectious and can have many causes (age, light, pregnancy, hormonal, medications, chronic edema to name a few). I imagine the topical cream is a steroid or antifungal (although there are some 'depigmenting' creams.........