PlanetCatfish.com

Just a couple of habitat shots from the Nile's source at Jinja. This is the very beginning of the Nile at Lake Victoria.

Sadly I had no collecting gear with me. Maybe that was a good thing. Just a week after taking these pics I spoke with an AID worker that had contracted bilharzia at this very spot.

He told me that getting bilharzia in Uganda, "is just a fluke."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schistosomiasis

-Shane

At least you should be familiar with the treatment - Praziquantel is mentioned quite often here ;)

--
Mats

beautiful pictures!

One thing that really sunk in speaking with Anton Lamboj and all through his talks he mentions he will not go in the water unless he is wearing protective gear just for this reason of the bilharzia.

He does collect mostly in the West African regions which is mainly stream and river collecting. As far as I know there is less of a risk(maybe seasonal) in the bigger lakes.

Birger

Birger,
The protective gear may make Anton feel better (as it would me) but the truth is that any contact with water is a potential exposure. Waders, rubber gloves, etc may provide some protection (I say "May" as bilharzia can actually enter the body through even unbroken skin) but you eventually have to haul a wet net, touch a fish, reach in to a bucket, or even get splashed. Any contact with any amount of water counteracts all the protections.

The biggest problem is that answers with regard to bilharzia are all over the place. The AID worker above touched the Nile once and contracted bilharzia. An Italian boat mechanic in Entebbe I spoke with has been in and around the waters of Lake Victora everyday of his life and said the last time he got it was over 4 years ago, despite daily exposure to the water.

One Doctor told me all kinds of horror stories and claimed that bilharzia can not always be cured. Another told me to get in the water and enjoy myself as bilharzia is rather rare to contract and is easily treatable even if I do get it.

My plan is to be careful but I am still going to collect fishes. Uganda's territory is over 20% freshwater and includes the largest tropical lake in the world. I probably will get bilharzia and have to be treated, but to me that risk is worth it.

-Shane

Shane wrote:J
He told me that getting bilharzia in Uganda, "is just a fluke."
-Shane

That was a joke wasn't it, I didn't imagine it??

Shane wrote: My plan is to be careful but I am still going to collect fishes. Uganda's territory is over 20% freshwater and includes the largest tropical lake in the world. I probably will get bilharzia and have to be treated, but to me that risk is worth it.

-Shane

Well take a lucky rabbit's foot or 4-leaf clover with you anyway, fingers crossed at the very least - we can't do without you buddy!

And, before you ask, no, you can't have a sub forum for the tropical maladies you've collected.


That would just be showing off.

Jools

That was a joke wasn't it, I didn't imagine it??

Yes, a bit of dark humor from the dark continent.

And, before you ask, no, you can't have a sub forum for the tropical maladies you've collected.

Fair enough, but thank for setting this one up bro!

-Shane

Sounds like a nasty fluke at that! Such pretty and alluring waters..... How does the health of Lake Victoria seem near Uganda?
Amanda

How does the health of Lake Victoria seem near Uganda?

Funny you should ask as I just got down to Murchison Bay for the first time yesterday. I can see it from my bedroom, but had not driven down there yet.
I visited a boat club harbor that consisted of several jetties constructed by pushing rocks into the lake.
The water did not look clean at this spot. It was very green with lots of suspended floating algae. I did see several pairs of cichlids guarding fry among the rocks that made up the jetty. I could not identify the spp. I also saw fry of various sizes. That said, I also noticed several dead fishes floating about. Among these was a syno corpse, but I could not make out the species.
In all fairness, I have seen the areas around harbors in the States look just as bad/dirty.
-Shane