Fish Pedicure-induced Aeromonas sobria Superficial Necrotic Bullous Dermatitis in a Previously Undiagnosed Diabetes Patient. What are the Risks of Fish Pedicure for Public Health?.

We describe a patient with previously undiagnosed diabetes who developed superficial necrotic bullous dermatitis due to Aeromonas sobria infection following a fish pedicure (also known as fish spa, fish therapy or Ichthyotherapy). A major concern regarding fish pedicure involves the transmission of viral and bacterial infections. It has been shown that fish tank water contains a wide variety of bacteria, including non-pathogenic as well as potentially pathogenic species. Commonly in fish spas the tank water is heated to a temperature of 25 to 30°C. Such temperatures favour overall bacterial growth and at the same time increase skin porosity upon immersion, hence indirectly promoting potential skin infections. The authors discuss three potential routes of transmission (from fish or tub surface to man, from water to man, and from man to man via the tub water) and analyse the potential risk of bacterial or viral transmission associated with fish pedicures. On the basis of the current case study and the consensus view of experts, the authors advise against fish pedicure, in particular for patients with diabetes or a compromised immune system.

Relationship between cultivation mode of white rot fungi and their efficiency for olive oil mill wastewaters treatment

Four white rot fungi (WRF) strains, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trametes versicolor, Coriolopsis polyzona and Pycnoporus coccineus, were tested for efficiency of treatment of Olive Oil mill wastewaters (OOMW) in relation with their cultivation mode, i.e. under the form of free mycelium, mycelium immobilized in alginate beads and solid state cultivation on Petri dishes. Study of biodegradation of phenolic compounds, chemical oxygen demand (COD) decrease and decolourisation of OOMW have shown that Coriolopsis polyzona and Pycnoporus coccineus degradation performances were apparently only slightly affected by the cell cultivation procedures experienced here. In contrast, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor showed respectively marked preferences for solid state and alginate immobilisation procedures. Both mono and polyphenolics were reduced to different extent during incubation depending on the strain, as shown by gel filtration analysis. Final pH obtained after fungal treatment of the OOMW based medium (initial pH of 5.0) was measured in order to evaluate the possibility of releasing friendly the treated wastewater in the environment. Laboratory studies as reported here may be useful for orienting the choice of a strain for treating pollution by OOMW in a particular real situation.