BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA-WHAT TO KNOW

Brain-eating amoeba, otherwise known as Naegleria fowleri, is a very rare and deadly infection caused by an amoeba that eats the brain. This infection occurs in warm freshwater bodies or untreated and polluted waterbodies. However, the amoeba infects only when contaminated water enters a person's nose. This amoeba reproduces by cell division, wherein under unfavorable conditions, it becomes an inactive cyst and becomes an active trophozoite when conditions become favorable.


Brain-eating amoeba (Courtesy: google)


   
Naegleria fowleri dwells in warm water. The causative organisms can withstand temperatures as high as 115 F. Headache, fever, stiff neck, loss of appetite, vomiting, hallucinations, seizures, coma characterizes the manifestation of the infection. It takes 2-15 days for the symptoms to manifest after infection, and death predominantly results within 3-7 days after the symptoms set in.

The name "brain-eating amoeba" makes one think it is some kind of micro-zombie stalking its skull, but actually, the brains are more like accidental food for them. Once the amoeba enters the human body, it feeds on the brain. This happens, most of the time, because of diving, water skiing, or doing other water sports that forcibly drive water up the nose. It is not contagious and is rarely diagnosed.

One can keep oneself from getting infected by avoiding swimming in untreated waterbodies and refraining from some water sports/activities in warm still waters during late summer. The doctors resort to specific lab tests that search for samples of the amoeba in cerebrospinal fluid, biopsy, or tissue specimens. 75% of diagnoses are usually made after death because it is very rare and hard to detect. 

                                     


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