human lung disease from vivariums?

[sajane]

Can this be true? I have just found out I have a lung germ called mycobacterium avium intracellulare. My doc seems to think i could have picked it up from my vivariums.It lives in moist soil. It causes permanent lung damage and is hard to treat. I do have alot of vivariums (10) and spend alot of time on them. Anybody else ever heard of this?

[perfectlypierced]

I can't say that I have. You would think that a lot of landscapers would come down with it because they deal with dirt/soil on a daily basis.

[Sasha]

I've never heard of it either but I've always wondered what I might be inhaling by my cricket tank.

[deranged chipmunk]

I've never heard of it either but I've always wondered what I might be inhaling by my cricket tank.

Yeah, no kidding. That's why i am switching to dubia roaches very soon.

[sajane]

exactly, i will be wearing gloves next time i change substrate as i have to pick out the pebbles and i get the dirt under my finger nails. this germ can also be ingested.

[FriedrichsFrogs]

it sounds plausable but like perfectlypierced said, you would think that specific bacterium would be more well known or at least heard something about it when researching vivariums. I hope its not as serious as ur doc says it is, sajane. otherwise we could be looking at an epidemic starring Mark Wahlberg. But seriously I wish u the best

[deranged chipmunk]

i just had to google this one. i found this interesting:
The common environmental sources of MAC include the following:
Aerosolized water
Piped hot water systems (including household and hospital water supplies)
Bathrooms
House dust
Soil
Birds
Farm animals
Cigarette components (eg, tobacco, filters, paper)
doc may be onto something, but then again, maybe not.

[Adam R]

most likely not.

plus with my experiences with docs, they work off hunches and always will tell you worst case scenario. very harmful bacteria can grow literally anywhere, its all about the perfect conditions for it to grow/spore. i wouldn't resort to extremes when it comes to your tanks but that's ultimately your call. i wish you the best though, hope you find the cause

[arielgasca420]

with so many vivs I would suggest wearing a mask, bacteria or not. It just seems that with all the cleaning, dirt, and salmonella that you should wear a mask and latex free gloves when working with cleaning vivs and other animal habitats.

[Beachfroggy]

Good advice, especially for anyone with a suppressed immune system as well. MAC is present everywhere all the time in soil, water, air, and around many animals, including birds, and it only becomes a risk when the bodies defenses are very low. Doctors would look into underlying reasons it was contracted. It is thought to be ingested or inhaled so gloves or mask used properly should prevent. It is not transmitted from person to person.

[Beachfroggy]

Also almost everyone has these present in their bodies already, they just dont cause infection unless underlying reason. Higher exposure and levels caring for animals so everyone should use precautions.

[sajane]

Thanks for the comments. I love my vivs and hope i can get over the distaste i feel about them. Not sure what is going on with my immune system or how long i ve even had this.

[Sadam]

I have never had a problem with samonella, I grew up with snakes, iguanas and have a frog. I might just be lucky but I never washed my hands before eating, I think I might start doing that now. Doctors really can't replace lungs :/ I never knew about this type of thing before.