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The skin represents an indicator of an animal's health status. Causes of cutaneous diseases in fish most often trace back to biological agents. However, fish skin diseases can also arise from a complex interaction of infectious and non-infectious causes, making it more difficult to identify a specific aetiology. In the period between April and September of the years 2019-2022, four koi carp (Cyprinus carpio koi) from two European countries presented with multifocal, irregularly round, few mm to 1 cm, variably raised cutaneous reddened areas. The fish displayed good general condition. Cutaneous samples, investigated by microbiological and molecular methods and microscopy, did not indicate a primary pathogenic agent. Gross and histological findings of the cutaneous biopsies were consistent with a multifocal/reactive process centred on dermal vessels. The histological features were reminiscent of angiomatosis, a benign proliferative condition affecting the dermal vessels of mammals, including human patients. The clinical-pathological presentation and the dermatologic condition that affected the koi carp are discussed and compared with the veterinary and human literature., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Fish Diseases published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Doctor fish (Garra rufa, Heckel, 1843) are increasingly used for cosmetic treatment raising particular concerns regarding the potential transmission of infections to clients. Investigations of microbial causes undertaken in two outbreaks of mortality among G. rufa used for cosmetic treatment revealed the presence of multiple bacteria, including both fish and human pathogens such as Aeromonas veronii, A. hydrophila, Vibrio cholerae, Shewanella putrefaciens, Mycobacterium marinum and M. goodii. This range of bacteria indicates an intense microbial proliferation involving multiple pathogens, most likely induced by the poor health condition of the fish. Most of the detected pathogens are well-known agents of zoonosis. Indeed, M. goodii is an emerging nosocomial human pathogen that has never been detected in fish to date, nor in other animals. This first detection of M. goodii associated with fish infection points out a new zoonotic potential for this pathogen. These findings point out that handling, poor environmental conditions and the presence of fish pathogens, that can compromise the immune system of fish, can result in a mixed microbial proliferation and increase the spread of waterborne bacteria, including zoonosis agents. Accordingly, the microbiological surveillance of fish used for cosmetic treatment is extremely important, particularly in association with mortality outbreaks., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)