After a death was announced in the United States, the brain-eating amoeba became a new condition threatening the world after the Corona virus epidemic, as questions abounded about what a brain-eating amoeba is, how it is transmitted, and the seriousness of its symptoms.
The US authorities announced, on Friday, the death of a person in the state of Florida, due to infection with a brain-eating amoeba. Charlotte County Health Authority specialists said the deceased was likely infected after washing his nose with tap water.
The Florida Health Authority is still investigating the death, which occurred on February 23, without providing any additional details, while officials continue to "investigate how this infection occurred."
Government health agency spokesman Guy Williams said officials were "working with local public facilities to identify any potential links and take necessary corrective action," according to the BBC .
After announcing the cause of death, the brain-eating amoeba, known scientifically as "Naegleria fowleri", became a new condition threatening the world after the Corona virus epidemic, as questions abounded about what a brain-eating amoeba is, how it is transmitted, and the seriousness of its symptoms.
Brain-eating amoeba
The amoeba Naegleria fowleri is a free-living, single-celled organism found in soils and warm freshwater all over the world that lives freely and eats bacteria and can be pathogenic by causing a rare, very severe and usually fatal brain infection called Naeglera disease or primary amebic meningoencephalitis (Bam).
The brain-eating amoeba normally lives in warm fresh water such as swimming pools, lakes, and ponds, as it is a thermophilic organism that thrives best in higher temperatures.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), infection usually occurs when people go swimming or diving in "warm fresh water", as the amoeba enters the body through the nose and then moves to the brain.
And the (CDC) adds that people cannot become infected by swallowing contaminated water, given that stomach acid kills single-celled microorganisms. It also cannot be transmitted from person to person.
Officials warn against washing the nasal passages with untreated tap water, while sterilized or distilled water is preferred. Tap water can also be used if it is boiled for at least one minute and cooled before use.
Symptoms of infection
It takes one to nine days (average five) for symptoms to appear after nasal exposure to the amoeba. Symptoms of infection include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, altered mental status and coma, in addition to blurred vision and loss of taste.
Later symptoms may include a stiff neck, confusion, decreased attention, loss of balance, seizures, and hallucinations.
Once symptoms begin to appear, death usually occurs within two weeks.
Is there a cure?
Naegleria fowleri infection is rare, with only three confirmed cases in the United States last year, according to official figures. The cases occurred after exposure to freshwater in Iowa, Arizona and Nebraska. There were also three cases in each of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Amphotericin is the primary treatment for encephalopathy amoebas, as it works by "inhibiting the pathogen (i.e., encephalopathy amoeba) by binding to cell membrane sterols, which leads to cell membrane rupture and death of the pathogen." However, even with this treatment, the death rate is over 95%.
Although two people survived after trying a new drug called Miltefosine, the severe damage left by brain-eating amoeba in the brain is difficult to deal with.
While new treatments are being researched, the key to effective treatment is prompt diagnosis, which is rare and not often considered a prognosis. Therefore rapid laboratory identification of microorganisms can help avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment.
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