Naegleria Fowleri: Florida Department of Health confirms a rare case of brain-eating amoeba
USA : Quite recently a very rare case of a brain-eating amoeba has been confirmed in Florida. Since 1962, only 143 cases of this amoeba have been reported. This amoeba is known as the Naegleria fowleri and is a microscopic single-celled amoeba. The Florida Department of Health officially announced the confirmed case on Friday. It was found in Hillsborough County and no further details have been shared about the case.
Naegleria fowleri is usually found in warm water bodies of freshwater like hot springs, lakes, ponds, rivers and even in poorly maintained swimming pools which minimal chlorination and sometimes contains dirty unchlorinated water. This disease is very rare and diagnosis is often tough. Naegleria fowleri cannot spread from person to person contact. Out of the 143 known infected cases in the United States, only 4 people have survived which means that this disease has a high fatality rate. Even in those cases where people have survived, a number of people have been left with permanent brain damage.
One cannot get infected by drinking contaminated water because this brain-destroying amoeba can only infect someone when the contaminated water goes up their nose. It can only infect when it enters through the nasal passage. This amoeba causes Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis which is a brain infection that slowly destroys brain tissue. The symptoms start after 1 to 9 days of exposure. Change in taste and smell, headache, fever, nausea, back pain, stiff neck and vomiting are some symptoms of this infection. Usually, it is also accompanied by meningitis-like symptoms including lack of attention, cramps, seizures, confusion, hallucinations, ataxia and such. After the onset of the symptoms, the disease progresses very fast and it usually leads to death from 7 to 14 days after the symptoms begin but sometimes people can survive longer as well. This makes it even more difficult to come up with a confirmed diagnosis.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the only way to prevent this infection is to wear a nose clip or pinch your nose when you come in contact with fresh water which has warm water or during the summertime. It is essential to ensure that freshwater does not enter your body through the nasal passage. It is also believed that one can be exposed to the amoeba through neti pot and it's best to use clean, filtered or sterile drinking water. You can also use boiled water for the same.
