An amoeba is a single-celled organism, which moves by means of small filaments called flagella. Some amoebae can enter the body and present dangers to humans.
This is the case of the "Naegleria fowleri" amoeba, known as the "brain-eating" amoeba. It is found in the fresh water of rivers, especially if its temperature exceeds 25°C (77 °F).
It can cause a very serious form of meningitis, which leads to death in 95% of cases. Fortunately, the condition caused by this amoeba is very rare. Thus, in 2014, there were 310 people affected by this disease. Only 11 survived.
In August 2022, the case was again reported of an American child who, after bathing in a river, was contaminated by the amoeba and died from it.
Mode of contamination and forms of prevention
People infected with the "Naegleria fowleri" amoeba are usually infected after swimming. For contamination to occur, the nose must be in contact with water.
Indeed, this is where the amoeba infiltrates the body. It then travels up the olfactory nerve and enters the brain. As we have seen, it then triggers a very serious form of meningitis.
The infected person first feels violent headaches, accompanied by nausea and fever. As the disease progresses, the patient often suffers from torticollis and may experience hallucinations. In the final phase of the disease, he sank into a coma.
Only preventive measures can avoid this terrible disease. The most effective is to avoid swimming in water that is too hot, or heated, and even more so if the water level is low.
From this point of view, bathing in hot springs is to be avoided. The amoeba can also grow in pools that are too hot and poorly treated.
In general, it is better, as a precaution, not to put your head under water. Otherwise, it is recommended to use a nose clip.
Comments
Post a Comment