What is Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria?
A free-living ameba is called Naegleria (a single-celled living organism). Only a microscope can see it because it is so tiny. It often grows in warm freshwater habitats including lakes, rivers, and hot springs as well as in soil. Brain Eating Amoeba Naegleria Fowleri is the only Naegleria species that can infect humans.
How does Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri infect people?
When a person inhales water contaminated with the ameba through the nose, they become infected with Naegleria fowleri. People frequently experience this when they swim, dive, or submerge their heads in freshwater environments like lakes and rivers. The ameba then enters the brain through the nose, where it destroys brain tissue and spreads a deadly infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM usually results in death. Rarely, people have contracted Naegleria fowleri infections from swimming pools, splash pads, or surf parks that had inadequate chlorine levels.
Where is Brain Eating Amoeba Naegleria fowleri found?
Around the world, soil and warm fresh water are home to Naegleria fowleri. The amebae can be discovered in any freshwater body of water in the United States, regardless of the state, but especially in the summer months of July, August, and September. The organism Naegleria fowleri is a thermophilic one, meaning it enjoys warm water and thrives in heat. It can survive for brief periods at even higher temperatures and grows best at high temperatures up to 115°F (46°C). The water temperatures in lakes and rivers that may be connected to certain PAM instances were tested by scientists, and they have discovered that the temperatures are often greater than 80°F. The amebae might, however, survive in water that is less than 80°F in temperature.
The Brain Eating Amoeba can found in:
- Warm freshwater lakes and rivers
- Heat that comes from natural geothermal sources, such as hot springs
- Warm water discharge from factories or power plants
- Sources of untreated geothermal (naturally hot) water
- Unmaintained or lacking in sufficient chlorine are any recreational facilities such as swimming pools, splash pads, surf parks, or other.
- Faucet water
- Heaters of water
- Soil, which includes the sand and gravel that makes up lakes, ponds, and rivers
In what water temperature does Brain Eating Amoeba Naegleria fowleri cause infection?
Being a heat-loving organism, Naegleria fowleri thrives in heat and prefers warm water. It can survive for brief periods at even higher temperatures and grows best at high temperatures up to 115°F (46°C). When lakes and rivers linked to some PAM cases were tested, scientists found that the water temperatures were typically higher than 80°F. The amebae might, however, survive in water that is less than 80°F in temperature. As temperatures drop, there is a decreased likelihood of finding it in the water. However, at temperatures much lower than those at which an ameba would be found in water, the ameba can be found in lake or river sediment.
Can I get a Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri infection from a properly clean swimming pool?
No. A pool that has been regularly cleaned, tended to, and disinfected cannot cause Naegleria fowleri infection. It has occasionally been reported that Naegleria fowleri has been discovered in unclean or inadequately chlorinated swimming pools, splash pads, surf parks, or other recreational areas.
How common are Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri infections in the United States?
A rare condition is Naegleria fowleri infections. From 2012 to 2021, there were 0 to 5 new cases diagnosed each year in the US. In the United States, a total of 31 infections were reported during this time. Of those cases, 28 people contracted the disease after coming into contact with recreational water, two people contracted the disease after using contaminated tap water to rinse their sinuses, and one person contracted the disease after using contaminated tap water on a backyard slip-and-slide.
Young males, particularly those 14 years of age or younger, are the most commonly affected by Naegleria fowleri infections. This is for unknown reasons. Young boys may engage in activities like diving into the water and playing in the sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers at a higher rate than other children.
When do Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri infections most commonly happen?
When it’s hot outside, infections frequently occur, raising water temperatures and lowering water levels. Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri infections are uncommon, but they tend to occur more frequently in the summer months of July, August, and September.
What are the symptoms of Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri infection?
PAM is a brain infection brought on by Naegleria fowleri that damages brain tissue. PAM may present with early signs that are comparable to those of bacterial meningitis.
The first PAM symptoms typically appear 5 days after infection, though they can appear anywhere between 1 and 12 days later. Headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting are just a few of the symptoms. Seizures, hallucinations, coma, confusion, stiff neck, and a lack of attention to others and the environment are some of the later symptoms that can appear. When symptoms first appear, the illness moves quickly and usually kills its victim within 5 days.
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Is there effective treatment for infection with Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri?
It has been difficult to find effective treatments for PAM due to its rarity and the infection’s rapid progression. We are still learning about the most effective medications to treat these infections, but there is some evidence that suggests that some medications may work. Amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine, and dexamethasone are currently used in combination therapy to treat PAM. Since these medications have been used to treat patients who survived, it is believed that they are effective against Naegleria fowleri. Of these medications, miltefosine is the most recent. Three survivors were treated with it after it was demonstrated in a lab setting to eradicate Naegleria fowleri.
Is there a routine and rapid test for Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri in the water?
No. An environmental investigation to find the ameba in water can take weeks to complete. Naegleria fowleri is typically found in freshwater bodies, according to earlier water testing. Despite the low risk, anyone who uses warm freshwater for recreation should always assume there is a risk of infection.
How can I prevent infection with Brain Eating Amoeba or Naegleria fowleri?
When a person inhales water contaminated with the ameba through the nose, they become infected with Naegleria fowleri. The majority of infections happen when individuals swim, dive, or have their heads submerged in warm freshwater environments like lakes and rivers. Infections have very rarely been linked to people blowing their noses during religious rituals or rinsing their sinuses (nose) with contaminated tap water. Naegleria fowleri can develop in water systems, including treated public drinking water systems, hot water heaters, and pipes.
Self-diagnosis or using this information in place of consulting a healthcare professional are not intended uses of it. Consult with a healthcare professional right away if you have any concerns about the amebae mentioned above or believe you may be infected.