The US Centers for Disease Control has confirmed that a South Carolina bather has been infect with Naegleria fowleri , a warm - water dwelling amoeba that can cause a life - imperil genius contagion .
Exposure to the amoebais thought to have occurred on July 24when the unnamed individual was swim near Martin ’s landing place on the Edisto River in Charleston County . A drug used to treat patients infect with Naegleria fowleri was couriered nightlong Tuesday from Orlando , Florida , to Charleston .
N. fowleri is a loose - survive microscopical amoeba that occurs naturally and is present in many warm - body of water lake , river , and streams . infection are exceptionally rare in humans , with only 40 case report in the United States in the past decennary . The lastreported deathin the US occurred in July 2015 when a 21 - class - old California woman give-up the ghost from an infection . As the clime warms , however , there ’s a growing concern that infection are correct to increase ; last class , the dreaded ameoba was find in Minnesota , further north than its usual home ground .
This amoeba normally course on bacteria , but if it accede into humans , it uses the brain as a intellectual nourishment source . The resulting infection is call naegleriasis , or primary amoebic meningoencephalitis ( PAM ) . Symptoms look after about a week , and admit headache , feverishness , nausea , or vomiting . finally , as the infection spreads in the brain , symptoms let in stiff neck , confusedness , lack of aid , loss of balance , seizures , and hallucinations . Death typically follows .
Doctors treating the South Carolina patient role are using the antimicrobial drug miltefosine , which has been used successfully in some cases of PAM . As WYFFreports , families who have lost children to the amoeba are demanding that infirmary keep the experimental medication on hand , which is manufactured by the drug ship’s company Profunda .
As noted , infections are exceptionally rare , so there ’s no need to niggle every time you or your loved single go for a swim in a warm body of water . As noted by South Carolina epidemiologist Linda Bell , it ’s difficult to contract :
First , you must be swim in water in which the ameba is present . Second , you must jump into the amoeba - containing water supply human foot first , allowing the water to go up your nose with enough military force that the amoeba can make its way to the brain . Most commonly , exposure resultant in the ameba dying before cause infection . You should head off swimming or jumping into organic structure of fresh urine when the water is strong and the urine levels are low . Also , you should either hold your olfactory organ or utilize a nose plug . you may not be infect by merely drink in water contain the ameba .
It ’s authoritative to note that a someone infected with the amoeba can not circularize it to another person . Also , salt weewee , like the sea , does n’t host N. fowleri .
[ WYFF ]
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