Amoeba infection in the brain that was reported in Florida, this is what it is

Putting the words “brain eating” in front of almost anything can make it sound very dangerous. Teddy bear eating brains. Kitten eating the brain. Brain-eating slice of pizza.

That’s why it should come as no surprise that a brain-eating amoeba infection is a very bad thing and that such a case in Hillsborough County, Florida deserved an announcement from the Florida Department of Health (DOH) on Friday:

Naegleria fowleri it is an amoeba that eats the brain, and it is a serious infection to contract it. When such an amoeba goes up the nose, it can reach the brain and start chewing. There it can cause PAM. Not Pam from the TV series. The office but primary amebic meningoencephalitis (MAP).

PAM is rare, but generally fatal, because you need your brain to do important things like tweet, post selfies, and live. In fact, between 1962 and 2018, of 145 reported cases of MAP in the U.S., only four people ended up surviving, according to a study published in the Journal of the Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Those are clearly bad odds. Death can occur from one to 18 days after symptoms began. In fact, half of the cases result in death with five days of symptoms.

Part of the problem is late diagnosis. The brain-eating amoeba isn’t the first thing you can think of when you experience a headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. It is usually well below “too many Zoom calls” in the list of possibilities. However, these symptoms mark the first stage of the disease and can start from one to nine days after the amoeba has entered the nose. Headaches tend to be in the front of your head and can be quite severe.

Even when the disease goes into its second stage of symptoms (stiff neck, seizures, altered mental status, hallucinations, and coma), it can be mistaken for bacterial meningitis, as indicated by the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC). Misdiagnosis may delay possible treatments for MAP, which includes miltefosine, a drug that can kill amoeba and hypothermia, lowering body temperature to reduce brain inflammation.

Before you stop poking your nose forever, keep in mind that Naegleria fowleri It is not everywhere. It tends to spend time on the ground and in warmer fresh water, such as water found in lakes, rivers, hot springs, swimming pools, water heaters, and industrial plants. Since it probably doesn’t tend to push dirt or warm water discharge from power plants through the nose, the most likely source of infection is swimming in a natural body of water or in a poorly chlorinated pool.

Another possible risk is using a Neti pot or any activity that pours tap water up your nose. As I mentioned before for ForbesTap water is on the list of things that shouldn’t be covering your nose. That list is long and includes fries, ketchup, balloon animals, iPod Touch, mannequin body parts, and Tesla car parts.

In the United States, most infections have occurred during the summer months (particularly July and August) in the 15 southernmost non-Hawaii states. According to the CDC, more than half have been in Texas and Florida. However, as described in a publication in the Journal of infectious diseases, infections have also recently appeared in more northern states. Add the brain amoeba that travels north to the list of possible effects of climate change.

Just because Naegleria fowleri it’s in the water you’re swimming in, doesn’t necessarily mean it will get infected. Otherwise, there would be many more cases of PAM. It is still unclear why only certain people end up with the infection.

However, try to take the proper precautions. Don’t take tap water up your nose. Keep your nostrils closed as much as possible while swimming and diving in lakes and rivers. Consider holding or covering your nose while underwater, especially while diving, but don’t use dirt or potato chips to block your nostrils. Never swim in poorly chlorinated waters. In addition to the risk of Naegleria fowleri, people can do indescribable things in swimming pools. See my previous Forbes Article for poop in pools and poop in pools.

Again, Naegleria fowleri Infections are quite rare. So don’t just curl up in a ball on your toilet paper tee, muttering the words, “Brain eating amoeba, brain eating amoeba.” It shouldn’t be the first thing you think of when you have a headache. However, if you have a severe headache and have recently done things that put you at risk, contact your doctor as soon as possible. After all, your brain is something important.