Naegleria fowleri
Not all living creatures die. An amoeba, for example, need never die; it need not even, like certain generals, fade away. It just divides and becomes two new amoebas - George Wald
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What Happens When an Amoeba “Eats” Your Brain?
The organism responsible, Naegleria fowleri, dwells in warm freshwater lakes and rivers and usually targets children and young adults. Once in the brain it causes a swelling called primary meningoencephalitis. The infection is almost universally fatal: it kills more than 97 percent of its victims within days.
Although deadly, infections are exceedingly uncommon—there were only 34 reported in the U.S. during the past 10 years—but evidence suggests they may be increasing. Prior to 2010 more than half of cases came from Florida, Texas and other southern states. Since then, however, infections have popped up as far north as Minnesota.
“We’re seeing it in states where…
Resources
Brain Eating Amoeba Strikes Again - New Treatments Are On The Horizon
Miltefosine is exciting for a couple of reasons. Unlike Amphotericin, it can be given by mouth. This is critically important in less-affluent countries like Pakistan, which has more frequent cases of Naegleria. The infection occurs more often from ritual nasal irrigations, commonly done with unchlorinated water.
Why the ‘brain-eating’ amoeba found in freshwater lakes – while rare – is so deadly
Composed of a single cell, amoeba seem harmless enough: They look like playful critters waltzing under the spotlight of a microscope until they come upon a group of bacteria. Then, these previously innocuous amoeba suddenly morph into sinister blobs, engulfing the bacteria and slowly ripping them apart with a bevy of digestive enzymes. It’s hard to cry over murdered bacteria, but the digestive power of amoeba is the stuff of nightmares when it plays out in a human brain.
The Brain-Eating Amoeba Is a Nearly Perfect Killer
The single-celled menace rarely infects humans. That’s what makes it so hard to treat.
Why the 'Brain-Eating' Amoeba Is So Deadly
N. fowleri dwells in warm bodies of fresh water where it dines on bacteria in the sediment. As such, most infections with this amoeba in the U.S. have occurred in southern states, especially Texas and Florida, during the summer. When the sediment of a lake is disrupted, amoeba get stirred into the water. Swimmers can then inhale the parasite through their nose. From there, N. fowleri invades the olfactory nerves and migrates to the brain, where it causes a dangerous condition called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
Naegleria fowleri: A public health perspective
In this short video he discusses Naegleria as a reportable disease, Naegleria risk and prevention for the public, public health policy and recommendations for the hospital emergency room.
Naegleria fowleri: The PAM protocol with Dr Juan Dumois
Dr Dumois shared his thought on why the rapid diagnosis of Naegleria is so challenging, he briefly discussed the primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) protocol used in his facility and the importance of keeping the drug, miltefosine readily available in the hospital.
A Brush with Brain-Eating Amoebas and Saltwater Nose Genies
Not only are brain-eating amoebas (Naegleria fowleri) real and deadly, but there have been multiple cases of people contracting the amoeba while using neti pots.
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis Caused by Naegleria fowleri: An Old Enemy Presenting New Challenges
First discovered in 1899, Naegleria fowleri is a protist pathogen, known to infect the central nervous system and produce primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. The most distressing aspect is that the fatality rate has remained more than 95%, despite our advances in antimicrobial chemotherapy and supportive care.
Rare Infection Prompts Neti Pot Warning
The Food and Drug Administration last month reported on two cases in Louisiana in which patients contracted infections after using neti pots filled with tap water. The culprit was an amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, which is commonly found in lakes, rivers and hot springs.
The Artful Amoeba
Just what is the brain-eating “Amoeba” Naegleria fowleri?
This Amoeba Eats Your Brain: Naegleria Fowleri Rattles New Orleans
While playing on a Slip ‘n Slide in New Orleans, a 4-year-old may have snorted water—and a deadly brain-eating organism. Dr. Kent Sepkowitz on the alienlike amoeba that gives him nightmares.
This mysterious brain-eating amoeba is the stuff of nightmares
If you go in the water, Yoder suggests not submerging your head. If you do, wear a nose clip. "In some ways they make common sense," he says. "Anything you do to reduce the risk of water being forced up your nose, probably reduces the risk of infection." Oh, and lay off the neti pots, unless you plan on sterilizing your water beforehand.
What We Do—and Don't—Know About Brain-Eating Amoebas
If people want to reduce their risk of becoming infected—even though this is a rare event— the thing to think about is holding their nose shut or wearing nose clips when swimming in warm, untreated freshwater. Keep your head above water in hot springs or other thermally heated bodies of water, and during activities where water is forced up the nose, like water sports and diving.
What Happens When an Amoeba “Eats” Your Brain?
Infections from Naegleria fowleri, the so-called brain-eating amoeba, may be on the rise--here’s what you should know about the deadly organism.
Jordan Smelski Foundation for Amoeba Awareness
To create global awareness about the risks associated with amoebas in fresh warm water and educate families and medical communities about the risks from Naegleria fowleri and Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).
Kyle Cares Amoeba Awareness
Kyle passed away August 29, 2010 from PAM caused by Naegleria Fowleri...we are spreading the awareness so others can protect their loved ones!
Swim Above Water
Swim Above Water was formed to initiate conversation and awareness in our community about Naegleria Fowleri, a free living microscopic amoeba and the infection It causes called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). Our goal is to educate you on the risks associated with freshwater activities and how to prevent exposure to this deadly amoeba.
Parasite of the Day
N. fowleri is a free-living amoeba capable of devouring your brain! This insidious creature makes its home as a flagellated amoeboid in characteristically warm freshwater sites such as lakes, rivers, geothermal hot springs, warm water discharge from industrial plants, poorly maintained and minimally-chlorinated or unchlorinated swimming pools and Jacuzzis.
American Camp Association
4.While not a guarantee, the CDC recommends the following preventive measures when swimming in warm bodies of freshwater: avoid water-related activities in warm freshwater during periods of high water temperature and low water levels; hold the nose shut or use nose clips when taking part in water-related activities in bodies of warm freshwater; avoid digging in, or stirring up, the sediment while taking part in water-related activities in shallow, warm freshwater areas.
CDC
Signs and symptoms of Naegleria fowleri infection are clinically similar to bacterial meningitis, which lowers the chances of initially diagnosing PAM. Humans become infected when water containing Naegleria fowleri enters the nose and the ameba migrates to the brain along the olfactory nerve. People do not become infected from drinking contaminated water.
MayoClinic
Some factors that might increase your risk of naegleria infection include: •Freshwater swimming. Most people who become ill have been swimming in a freshwater lake within the past two weeks. •Heat waves. The amoeba thrives in warm or hot water. •Age. Children and young adults are the most likely age groups to be affected, possibly because they're likely to stay in the water longer and are more active in the water.
MedicineNet
Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that lives predominately in warm freshwater. Naegleria fowleri is acquired by people when infected water is forcibly aspirated into the nose. This can occur through recreational swimming, diving, or during sports like water skiing. Once acquired, the amoeba travels into the brain, causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In the popular press, Naegleria fowleri is sometimes called the "brain-eating amoeba," and meningoencephalitis is sometimes referred to as Naegleriasis. PAM is very rare, and there are only a few cases reported each year in the United States.
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