Zoonotic Disease Pathogens in Fish Used for Pedicure

Abstract

“Doctor” fish might not be such good doctors after all. These fish are used for the increasingly popular spa treatment called fish pedicures. During these sessions, spa patrons immerse their feet in water, allowing the live fish to feed on dead skin, mainly for cosmetic reasons. However, examinations of doctor fish destined for these spas found that they can carry harmful bacteria. Thus, although reports of human infection after fish pedicures are few, there may be some risks. Spa patrons who have underlying medical conditions (such as diabetes, immunosuppression, or even simple breaks in the skin) are already discouraged from taking such treatments. However, spas that offer fish pedicures should also consider using only disease-free fish reared in controlled facilities under high standards of husbandry and welfare.

Human Streptococcus agalactiae strains in aquatic mammals and fish

“…The subpopulation of non-haemolytic serotype Ib isolates in our study encompassed all fish isolates that did not originate from Southeast Asia, suggesting an association between geographic origin and strain. The association with host species and geographic origin is not absolute, as β-haemolytic serotype Ib isolates and ST261 have also been reported from frogs [37,44] and ST261 has been reported in fish from Indonesia [45]. This is the first report of ST261 in aquarium fish, which originated from Australia.…”

“…Using the 3-set genotyping system, no surface protein genes or MGEs were detected among isolates from this group, further supporting that it is not closely related to any of the known clonal complexes of S. agalactiae found in humans. ST261 was recently discovered in doctor fish ( Gara rufa ) that are used in foot spas to remove dead skin from people’s feet and concern has been expressed that repeated exposure of fish-adapted strains to such an environment could eventually lead to human infections [45]. In the laboratory, members of the group that includes ST260 and ST261 do not grow well at 37°C, which may explain their current absence from homeothermic species.…”

Rapid identification of pathogenic streptococci isolated from moribund red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)

“…The identification of these pathogens using commercial biochemical systems has always resulted in misdiagnosis due to the variability of phenotypic traits among given isolates of the same species, and the inconsistency of biochemical results due to the modification in manual procedures adjusted for marine fish pathogens (Verner-Jeffreys et al, 2012). These phenotypic tests might also yield variable results depending on the culture conditions of the bacteria (Hopkins et al, 2001).…”

The microbiological quality of water in fish spas with Garra rufa fish, the Netherlands, October to November 2012

“…When such fish are exposed to unfavourable conditions, outbreaks of infectious diseases may occur among the fish, resulting in an increased number of waterborne bacteria in the spas, with an accompanying increased zoonotic risk of transmission to humans [5]. Recently, Aeromonas sobria was implicated as the cause of massive die-off in Garra rufa at a breeding farm in Slovakia [6], and a batch of ill Garra rufa in England appeared to be contaminated with Streptococcus agalactiae [7].…”