{"id":8144,"date":"2016-08-06T18:18:37","date_gmt":"2016-08-06T22:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/hiv-id-observations\/?p=8144"},"modified":"2024-06-20T09:20:50","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T13:20:50","slug":"fishy-fishy-fishy-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/hiv-id-observations\/index.php\/fishy-fishy-fishy-fish\/2016\/08\/06\/","title":{"rendered":"Fishy, Fishy, Fishy, Fish!"},"content":{"rendered":"

I received this\u00a0exciting offer\u00a0recently:<\/p>\n

Re: \u00a0Fish Disease<\/strong> — Manuscript Invitation<\/p>\n

Dear Dr. Paul E Sax,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Greetings for the good day!<\/p>\n

We gladly invite you and your colleagues to contribute the articles on the topic Fish Disease<\/strong> in Johnson\u00a0Journal of Aquaculture and Research<\/em> of Johnson\u00a0Publishers.<\/p>\n

During our past two volumes, we had an excellent and fruitful cooperation, especially with our Editorial Board members.<\/p>\n

We hope this volume will be interesting, with the presence of articles from Eminent personalities like you.<\/p>\n

We are looking forward to receive and review your papers. For any information needed, please feel free to contact via e-mail: aquaculture@johnsonpublishers.international<\/p>\n

Thank you for your attention towards this letter.<\/p>\n

We are happy to announce that this is the 2nd year for this Journal. It will be a great honor for us and an excellent opportunity for you to share your newest scientific work on the field of Johnson\u00a0Journal of Aquaculture and Research<\/em> related issues in our international scientific review.<\/p>\n

Regards,<\/p>\n

Jennifer\u00a0Griffin
\nJohnson\u00a0Journal of Aquaculture and Research
\nJohnson\u00a0Publishers
\n9600 Great Hills
\nTrail # 150 w
\nAustin, Texas
\n78759(Travis County)
\nE-mail: aquaculture@johnsonpublishers.international<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What an opportunity! Here’s my response:<\/p>\n

Dear Ms. Griffin:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Thank you so much for reaching out to me about submitting a paper to the Johnson\u00a0Journal of Aquaculture Research. <\/em>I have long been an admirer of your journal, and am proud to say I was one of the inaugural subscribers; I\u00a0eagerly\u00a0await each issue with great excitement.<\/p>\n

Your invitation today was propitious, since, as luck would have it, my research team and I have just completed a major study on the topic of Fish Disease<\/strong>. It\u00a0should be right in your journal’s wheelhouse, as they say.<\/p>\n

(Since you are based in Austin, Texas — Travis County, as you note\u00a0— you no doubt understand that\u00a0wheelhouse expression.)<\/p>\n

Anyway, I ramble. Let me get right to the point —\u00a0we think our study is groundbreaking. If we don’t win a Nobel Prize in Fish Disease<\/strong> (there is one in Fish Disease<\/strong>, right?), we’ve been robbed.<\/p>\n

Here’s the abstract:<\/p>\n

Background:<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0Ichthyophthirius multifiliis<\/em> (commonly known as freshwater white spot disease, freshwater ich, or freshwater ick) is a common disease of freshwater fish in home aquariums. It can cause white spots, clamped fins, and reclusive behavior due to severe embarrassment, poor little things. The optimal treatment is unknown. Methods<\/strong>:<\/em> \u00a0We randomized household guppies with moderate-severe ick to standard of care treatment (whatever that is) or a chlorhexidine whole body wash. Outcomes were assessed by trained fishologists blinded to study arm, using validated ick instruments and quality of life scores (CDC HRQOL-14, SF-36, WHOQOL-BREF, and some other letters put together that sound impressive). Results:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 After informed consent was obtained (at least to the extent possible from a fish), 6\u00a0guppies were enrolled, 3 in each treatment group. Baseline characteristics seemed roughly comparable, but how would we know (they’re just little guppies, after all). On a\u00a0100-point ickiness scale, the chlorhexidine washed guppies scored 22.4 International Ick Units (IIUs), vs 57.8 IIUs\u00a0for the standard-of-care group (p < 0.0000001 — wow, that’s significant, isn’t it). Quality of life measures also favored the chlorhexidine-treated group (“I’m just happier,” one guppy said). Conclusion:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0For common aquarium guppies suffering the embarrassment of freshwater ick, chlorhexidine whole body wash is superior to usual\u00a0treatment. Prevents MRSA, too.<\/p>\n

I hope you will consider our study carefully. Eminent personalities like us ponder long and hard about the best venue for\u00a0such important research. Your\u00a0email was perfectly<\/em> timed.<\/p>\n

Sincerely yours,<\/p>\n

Dr. Paul E. Sax<\/strong><\/span>
\nHenry Limpet Professor of Ichthyologic\u00a0Ick
\nUniversity of Travis County<\/p>\n