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Zoonotic Disease Pathogens in Fish Used for Pedicure
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On April 12, 2011, the Fish Heath Inspectorate investigated a report of a disease outbreak among 6,000 G. rufa fish from Indonesia that had been supplied to UK pedicure spas
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To determine whether S. agalactiae and other bacterial pathogens might be carried more widely by these fish, from May 5, 2011, through June 30, 2011, the Fish Health Inspectorate of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science visited Heathrow Airport 5 times to intercept and sample consignments of G. rufa from Indonesia
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Other studies have also reported high levels of multidrug resistance in bacteria associated with imported ornamental fish
Re: Zoonotic Disease Pathogens in Fish Used for Pedicure
The National SPCA in South Africa have weighed in:
Press Release: FISH “PEDICURES” – STERN WARNINGS
GARRA RUFA FLESH-EATING FISH POSE CLIENT HEALTH CONCERNS
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The Special Projects Unit of the National Council of SPCAS (NSPCA) has addressed concerns regarding “fish pedicures” to our Government via the Minister of Health and Members of Executive Councils.
The information as attached was drawn to their attention and they were requested to advise and assist.
The issue of utilising fish at spas to “nibble” the feet of clients and thereby undertake a pedicure has been under investigation by the NSPCA who have concerns for the clients as well as welfare concerns for the fish themselves. The risks for clients relate specifically to individuals with compromised immunity systems including HIV positive individuals.
As far as the NSPCA can ascertain, the treatment is not medically recognised or registered. People should therefore not engage with this treatment until a report by the Ministry of Health has been received and the facilities where this takes place have been confirmed to be in compliance with all required legislation which includes the Performing Animals Protection Act (PAPA). We note that notwithstanding the title of this Act, it is wide-ranging and includes live animals used in exhibition.
The NSPCA has issued warnings in terms of the Animals Protection Act to several spas for welfare concerns.
General concerns include or arise from:
Water rotation;
Chemicals (hand creams and nail polish, etc) allowed to be dipped into the tanks;
Lack of environmental enrichment;
Fish retention;
Lack of record keeping;
In one instance, as a result of NSPCA intervention, a casino removed the fish from their premises until such time as the legality of the issue had been resolved;
To date, two Magisterial districts are in the process of evaluating the applications by spas under the Performing Animals Protection Act;
The Magistrates have referred these issues to the NSPCA for welfare reports to be submitted.
The message from the NSPCA is that the public needs to know.
Cindy Vong opened a fish spa in the Phoenix suburbs as part of her nail salon in 2008 and spent $50,000, seeing it as an opportunity to expand her business. Six months later, the Arizona Board of Cosmetology forced her to stop, arguing that the fish, used for skin exfoliation, could not be sanitized between uses. Vong sued for the right to reopen the spa.
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He conceded that “you can’t disinfect a fish with Clorox bleach,” but said Vong’s constitutional rights were violated and the board “could have come up with an alternative set of regulations.”
“Basically, it’s a 14th amendment issue,” said Olsen. “In America you have the right to pursue an honest living as long as you’re not endangering the public. She has the right to operate this business and the government does not have any right to shut her down.”
Re: Zoonotic Disease Pathogens in Fish Used for Pedicure
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus foot infection after fish pedicure.
Sugimoto K, Frei R, Graber P. Infection. 2013 Mar 5.
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Fish pedicure has become a popular cosmetic procedure involving immersion of the feet in a tank with freshwater fish (Garra rufa) that nibble off dead skin. There are concerns about the potential transmission of pathogens, but no cases of infections after this procedure have been published so far. We present a patient who developed foot infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) after fish pedicure.
Zoonotic Disease Pathogens in Fish Used for Pedicure
Re: Zoonotic Disease Pathogens in Fish Used for Pedicure
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