A rare brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, has been linked to the death of a Georgia resident, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The amoeba is found in warm, freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs, and can cause a rare infection that destroys brain tissue. The health department is urging people to take precautions when swimming in these bodies of water, such as avoiding high temperatures, low water levels, and a lack of water flow, and using nose clips.
Posts tagged as “Naegleria”
A man in Charlotte County, Florida has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba infection believed to have been contracted after rinsing his sinuses with tap water. The infection is caused by the single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri, which thrives in warm temperatures and is most commonly found in soil and fresh water. The Florida Department of Health is conducting an epidemiological investigation and urging people to take precautions to avoid infection.