There once was a fish named Charlie.
He was the best pseudo puppy that a 6-year-old girl could ever have… until the girl’s mother got sick of cleaning Charlie’s tank.
Scratch that.
Until the girl’s mother got sick from cleaning Charlie’s tank.
I’ve been sick for weeks with an on and off fever, headache, sore throat and fatigue. Interestingly, my symptoms appeared shortly after my routine cleaning of Charlie’s fish tank. That Betta can gunk up a bowl like no other, and frankly, I dread the task of scooping him out and scrubbing down his disgusting liquid-filled living quarters week after week. Perhaps that’s why I have been subconsciously blaming Charlie and his foul excretions for my nagging illness.
I’ve shared my theory with anyone who would listen (though for some reason, the numbers have dwindled in the last two weeks), but struggled to get many on board with my hypothesis that the bacteria in Charlie’s fish bowl is to blame for me not feeling well.
Then, lo and behold, yesterday I ran across a news story about a 13-year-old girl from San Bernardino, California, who has been battling a rare bacterial disorder called Mycobacterium marinum, also known as fish tank granuloma.
Could it really be the answer to my mystery illness?
According to news reports, Hannele Cox became infected with the bacteria five years ago after scratching her ungloved hand in a nearly filled fish tank. The girl told reporters that she didn’t think twice about the cut, until her mother noticed the wound was oozing.
Today, the teen lives in constant pain, as her body tries to fight off the superbug living in her system. What’s more, doctors say she may lose her hand. Apparently, the bacteria causes skin wounds and can eat away at deeper tissue and bone.
Cox has already undergone two surgeries, but according to reports, the bacteria continues to get stronger, and has become drug-resistant.
The teen told reporters that she has had to give up gymnastics, volleyball, horseback riding, and other things she loves.
“I am afraid of losing my hand,” Cox told a local L.A. news crew. “I’m afraid of the things that I’m not going to be able to do when I grow older.”
KTLA reports that Cox will undergo another surgery later this week at UCLA before traveling to Denver to start treatment with a specialist who deals with rare infections.
I kid (kind of) about my perceived fishbowl cleaning illness; however, it is important to note that Human Mycobacterium marinum skin infections can be contracted from contaminated aquariums or fish that have tuberculosis. What’s more, experts say there’s no way a lay person could tell if a fish tank contains the bacteria.
Food for thought the next time you or your child considers cleaning a fish bowl without wearing gloves.
Oh, the joys of pet ownership.
Kind of makes me re-think the whole dog thing.