Can Ick transfer to humans?

[kaz]

subject states the questions thanks

 

[theotheragentm]

Spread as in physical contact, yes ich can spread to humans, but it has no ill effect on humans. It's not going to do much outside on our skin.

 

[kaz]

but what happens if you have a cut in your fingers or hand could it get in and under your skin? does if re-produce in the body or does it die off? what if it get in your blood stream?

 

[JDogg]

but what happens if you have a cut in your fingers or hand could it get in and under your skin? does if re-produce in the body or does it die off? what if it get in your blood stream?

we use heat to treat ich, turning your temp up over 86 degrees F....if you are healthy your body is around 98 degrees to hot for ich to survive

 

[QTOFFER]

The only zoonotic (spread from animal to man) disease involving fish that I have heard of is tuberculosis...and it's exceptionally rare.

It would be far more common to contract some kind of streptococcus skin infection from dirty tank water.

Good habits to follow:
1 Wear gloves if you have open cuts or a weakened immune system (recovering from surgery, taking chemo)

2 Wash hands between tanks with warm water (NO SOAP!) This will prevent spreading things like ich from tank to tank and reduce your risk of getting a skin infection or allergy from something in the water.

3 Wash hands well with hot soapy water AFTER working on the tanks. This will kill germs and microorganisms.

 

[lmw80]

This thread and the article within are extremely helpful:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=10620&highlight=human+aquarium+catch

 

[fearlessfisch]

 

[Corey]

ROFL

 

[Big Ben]

LOL i sometimes get the feeling that something microscopic is biting me when im rearranging gravel. expecialy if theres debris in it from not being gravel vacced for a while

 

[Sidi]

TB has only truly been confirmed in saltwater aquaria, last I heard.

Really, you're pretty much safe from your fish...other than the aforementioned staph (my second favorite pathogen, behind ebola). Any cut can pick up an infection from any water, anything you touch, or even the air. But as far as zoonotic diseases, it's almost unheard of from fish.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I've only heard of TB being spread "successfully" in saltwater too, the pathogen being Mycobacterium marinum. It CAN be serious if you don't get it treated, but ich is safe.

 

[roka64]

I agree with the TB. Ich also really only enjoys the fluids that are right under the surface of the skin (in fish).