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FAQs about Pet-fishing & Human Health: Cross Zoonoses... Getting Parasites from your Aquatics

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Related FAQs:  Petfishing and Human Health 1Petfish & Health 2, Petfishing & Human Health 3, & FAQs on: Petfishing Concerns: Getting Poked, Spined, Stuck, Envenomized (injected), Bitten, Poisoning (ingesting), Skin et al. Contact, Companion Animal Involvement, Troubleshooting/Fixing, Bacterial Infections, Turn About's Fair Play... Stingrays

 

parasites in fish and humans... Lernaeid confusion      7/26/12
I had an anchor worm problem this year with some of my  1-2" goldfish that I had in a brand new 600 gal pond that  I dug up this spring. I only had about 10 small goldfish in the pond, but the  pond was drying up fast from the lack of rain this year 2012, so I moved the  fish back into there 25 gal tank inside the house.
After about a month fish started to die, I had no idea  what the problem was till there was only 3 fish left, then I started to look  real close and that’s when I noticed the anchor worms, new to this problem I  treated the tank with PraziPro,
<... Anchorworm is not a worm, but a crustacean parasite... Prazi won't cure it. Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/anchorwrmfaqs.htm
and took out the carbon out of the filter, but  it was to <too>
late for the fish. 4 days later after I treated the tank I took the  dead fish out and looked at the worms with a loop and I can see that some were  still alive. My question is how long  does it take for this product to kill the worm?
<... it won't. Read... >
Also how does  this parasite effect frogs and tadpoles in a pond? 
<Won't hopefully... unless worms present dying cause issues>
And the most important question I have is If children  or adults are playing in a small pond like mine catching frogs and tadpoles that  is infested with parasites/anchor worms and eggs and someone gets these  parasites or parasite eggs in an open wound/mouth/eyes will they become a  problem and how will it effect the human body?. Thanks  Frank
<Won't affect humans either... but, cheap/comet goldfish in America invariably have several infectious and parasitic issues...
I'd keep them out of the pond. Bob Fenner>

He's Got Worms Under His Skin (3/7/04)   Dear Sir: <Steve Allen this AM.>   Can you help me identify these?  I found similar ones on www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~parasites under 'Anchor worm'. <The link does not work for me and you did not attach a picture.>   These red ones came out of my right leg and the large T-shape in 2nd picture <no picture received.>  came from my right arm. <Yuck!>  I dropped my cell phone in a Koi pond. I already had existing sores from a parasite.  My 6-year old is showing the same signs. The smaller ones in 2nd picture are from her stool. <Again, no picture. Odd that she would have aquatic worms in her stools. Did she swallow some pond water? Pinworms are very common in kids in the US. Where do you live. Ascaris worms are a big problem worldwide, but seldom seen here.>  Any help would be appreciated. <Very simple advice John: You and your daughter need to see a doctor this week! Call first thing tomorrow and get an appointment right away! Do not delay any longer! Bring pictures or actual worms with you. If your daughter still has worms in her stool, take a sample with you in a clean Zip-Loc bag. It will hasten her diagnosis & treatment.>  Thank you, John D. Day Dera <You're welcome. I hope that medical treatment swiftly rids you of these parasites and any attendant secondary bacterial infection.>

Parasite Follow-Up (3/7/04) Thank you all for replying to my e-mail.  I personally have seen about 16 Drs ...  Are we having fun yet? Thanks again for replying <John: For brevity and to spare the squeamish, I have omitted your extensive narrative of your saga from this reply. No pix came through. If they're too big, they don't get to us. All pics need to be compressed down to a manageable size of no more than a few hundred KB. As for your long battle with this health problem for you and your daughter, I really don't have anything worthwhile to add. You are already seeking help from some of the best docs around. I feel badly for the two of you. I certainly hope that you get to the bottom of this soon and are both restored to normal health rapidly. Steve Allen.>

Re: parasites? Bob: Check this out. I told him there's not any more help we can offer via WWM. His pix didn't come through. I feel bad for this guy, but he needs to work it through with the many doctors he's seen. I omitted the details of hi long narrative from my posted reply. Steve <Very strange... to the point of frightening. I would have this person go immediately to the "zootic disease" part of the CDC for thorough diagnoses... there is no such thing as "anchor worm" disease (a Branchiuran) of humans... and the mix of roundworms and complaints listed....? Bob F>

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