Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Six

Brain-Eating Amoeba

abcnews.go.com

According to the CDC, the amoeba called Naegleria fowleri (nuh-GLEER-ee-uh FOWL'-erh-eye) killed 23 people in the United States, from 1995 to 2004. This year health officials noticed a spike with six cases three in Florida, two in Texas and one in Arizona. The CDC knows of only several hundred cases worldwide since its discovery in Australia in the 1960s.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 2007/9/28 by GradyPhilpott]

This microbe was discovered in Australia in the 1960s and infections are quite rare, but that's not much solace if it's you or a loved one who dies suddenly.

In Florida there have been alerts warning people to steer clear of warm standing water.

There are still far more questions than answers regarding this infection.

abcnews.go.com
(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 2007/9/28 by GradyPhilpott]

That is really strange. It seems that there's a new danger every day. I know this one has been around a while. and is rare, but it is still worrisome.

Is the environment out o get us? Has Mother Nature declared war on the human species? Sometimes it seems that way.

Interesting find there Grady.

Originally posted by NGC2736
Is the environment out o get us? Has Mother Nature declared war on the human species?

I'd have to say that is true, but not just for humans, but for all species. Adapt or die seems to be the one truth you can take to the bank.

Our view of life is somewhat limited, unless you happen to be a microbiologist.

Single cell organisms seem to be thriving no matter whatever else is happening on the planet.

For example:

It is estimated that 500 to 1000 different species of bacteria live in the human body (Sears, 2005). Bacterial cells are much smaller than human cells, and there are about ten times as many bacteria as human cells in the body (1000 trillion (1015) versus 100 trillion (1014); Sears, 2005). Though normal flora are found on all surfaces exposed to the environment (on the skin and eyes, in the mouth, nose, small intestine, and colon), the vast majority of bacteria live in the large intestine.

en.wikipedia.org...

I'm thinking it has something to do with the weather getting warmer..

Naegleria fowleri – Deadly Amoeba

Naegleria fowleri lurks in warm waters and in rare isolated instances infects humans and animals. Few survive primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

[...]

Parasitic disease caused by naegleria is very rare—only a few hundred cases have ever been reported—however a few common sense precautions will protect people from acquiring this and other water borne infections:

* Avoid swimming in very warm water, especially if it is shallow and/or stagnant (not moving). The majority of PAM cases have resulted from exposure to water that is 26C (80F) or warmer.
* Avoid taking in water through the nose while swimming, diving, water skiing, or jumping into water. A nose clip can be used to prevent water being forced up the nose.
* Stay out of the water if “No Swimming” signs are posted.
* Do not swim in swimming pools that are very warm or that are not properly maintained, even if the water is chlorinated. Naegleria fowleri is resistant to chlorine.

Yeah.. global warming.. yeah.. nature is fighting back.

According to the CDC infections are so rare as to not even deem them a danger to the population. It just seems very odd that only 24 cases were reported from 1995-2004 yet this summer 6 cases have been reported. Global Warming is of course a major factor but I wonder if it is something a little more sinister?
here is another link with some info:www.cdc.gov...

I was kinda taken aback by this story, because up until now, we have one of the few places in the world where this amoeba was found naturally. I had read many years ago about it and the article focused mainly on a region in mexico where they were found it and it mentiond the Hot springs on Lewis Creek. These hot springs are very obscure not even many local know about them. Ever since I read that article I have stayed out of the Lewis creek hot springs. If it gets in your nose or ears your done. By the time you know your sick it has already started to eat the brain. They say you should be OK as long as you dont get your head under water.
Scary stuff indeed.

A brain eating amoeba.... huh, well I guess that's a good food source, what with so many brains on the planet and all.

Geez!! I have to stop reading this stuff before I become like Howard Hughes. Very frightening. I think I will be adding a bit more shock and chlorine to the pool next year. These things can be deposited in any sitting water by bird droppings. Lordy!

EDIT: Oh, crap. I just read that they are resistant to chlorine. Oh, the humanity! Are we not safe anywhere?

Could this amoeba be used in biological warfare by tainting a water supply?


[edit on 9/29/2007 by Rotoplooker]

Having been in the warm waters of the Colorado River years ago, I remember how soothing it was to swim there.
This does rather dampen those ideas though.

This was discussed several weeks ago in Fragile Earth.
Perhaps a different bacteria though, as it describes flesh-eating bacteria
www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 29-9-2007 by DontTreadOnMe]

reply to post by NGC2736


It's the sign of the times. As we move into the last days there will be all kinds of terrors and diseases. Men will one day be scarcer than gold according to Biblical prophecy. The long hoped for depopulation plan has begun. Other than that I wouldn't be worried .

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
This was discussed several weeks ago in Fragile Earth.
Perhaps a different bacteria though, as it describes flesh-eating bacteria

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The microbe in this story is an amoeba and the one in your link is a bacterium.

wonderful just what i needed... i have to worry about court my grammas health how im going to get a job graduating...and now i have to worry about brain eating amoeba? great just effin great

This is very disturbing, especially the fact that it has increased in cases in the last year. Other than nose clips do they make anything that you could wear that you protect you against such a creature? I wonder if a nose plug type device might be a good idea? One with perhaps a gel? Just a thought. I live in Florida, so I'm going to be the strange one of the family and warn all the others against swimming in lakes from now on. What a frightening article.

Microscopic creatures mutate and evolve so much more quickly than we do. Rather than think it's something like global warming, I'm leaning towards the idea that it's just the normal course of action for an amoeba. Adapt, change, and flourish.

reply to post by MajorMalfunction


Its old news to us Floridians who have lived on lakes. They only grow in like six inches of water depth where the water is very hot. Sadly thats were kids play. A few weeks back it was so hot that they should have closed the lake beaches for that very reason.

Another thread, on Above Politics has highlighted a most peculiar and dangerous aspect of Naegleria fowleri, the so-called "brain eating amoeba" -- this amoeba primarily kills males, generally boys!

Deadly Amoeba Killing Boys Across America

A brain-eating amoeba? Darn, I guess President Bush is safe.