# Mycobacterium



## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

I picked up a pair of Tincs at a herp show recently, and found out after the fact that the sellers husbandry was less than adequate, and that he may have had frogs that tested positive for Mycobacterium while he had these. The animals I purchased look/feed/act healthy and show no legions. I've had them in a well planted quarantine tank in a different room from the rest of my PDF collection from day one. It's been about three weeks now and I'm not sure when/how I should proceed.

What I have read about it is pretty scary, but a lot of what turned up in the search seemed a bit contradictory. I guess what I am asking is what course of action should I take, and will they ever be safe to "un-quarantine"?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

If there was an active infection in his collection then it is possible then the frogs may be infected. Unless they show symptoms, you cannot eliminate the possibility unless a necropsy is performed on the frogs...

Please note the use of If, possible, and may. 

Ed


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Thanks Ed. 

So I may be screwed, or I may not. I may be able to introduce them to the frog room, or I may not, and the only way to know is if they ever get sick...then I shouldn't have. Bummer.

Am I correct in understanding that there is no window of time in which this will manifest itself if they were infected? 

I mean, if no infection showed up in say, over a year, they couldn't be considered "clean", could they? Would any eggs coming either of these individuals be suspect as well?

Am I correct in understanding that a necropsy would correctly identify infection, whether the animal was visibly showing it or not?

Thanks in advance.


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## insularexotics (May 3, 2005)

Ed said:


> If there was an active infection in his collection then it is possible then the frogs may be infected. Unless they show symptoms, you cannot eliminate the possibility unless a necropsy is performed on the frogs...
> 
> Please note the use of If, possible, and may.
> 
> Ed


Actually Ed, I don't think you can even eliminate the possibility with a necropsy. I have a paper somewhere that showed that histopath missed 2/3 of the cases that PCR found. I can't remember if they were checking lesions or just random samples. But, after listening to a bunch of talks and reading about myco in fish, I have come to the conclusion that it is ubiquitous (sp?) and the key is to keep animals as stress-free as possible.


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## jejton (Sep 3, 2006)

If mycobacterium infection in amphibians bears any resemblance to that in humans, then the best you can do is to keep these isolated from the rest of your collection, and minimize their stress ( as in good nutrition, not necessarily difficult job or wife ).


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

insularexotics said:


> Actually Ed, I don't think you can even eliminate the possibility with a necropsy. I have a paper somewhere that showed that histopath missed 2/3 of the cases that PCR found. I can't remember if they were checking lesions or just random samples. But, after listening to a bunch of talks and reading about myco in fish, I have come to the conclusion that it is ubiquitous (sp?) and the key is to keep animals as stress-free as possible.


Hi Rich,

The method and throughness of necropsy is important but if you have access to PCR then by all means that is going to be the method of choice. 
It is ubiquitous in the terria we set up but there are apparently differences in infectivity of it towards amphibians... (according to the vets at work) which is why when it shows up in amphibs the typical recommendation is to depopulate and sterilize.. 
Reduced stress is important...

Ed


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Boondoggle said:


> Thanks Ed.
> 
> So I may be screwed, or I may not. I may be able to introduce them to the frog room, or I may not, and the only way to know is if they ever get sick...then I shouldn't have. Bummer.
> 
> ...



I can't speak to the issue on vertical transmission but it is possible that since body fluids are used to moisten the eggs that they could be at risk of contamination but this is hypothetical.... 

The active infection may be inapparent for years.. its when something triggers it to develop the symptoms that the symptoms may become apparent (such as Rich noted stress.. or something else that immunosuppresses the frogs). 

Ed


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