Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis is one of the deadliest diseases in the world, with a fatality rate exceeding 95%. It’s caused by an excavate called Naegleria fowleri, commonly called the ‘brain-eating amoeba’, which is usually found in warm bodies of fresh water like hot springs, rivers, ponds and lakes. Sometimes it can also be found in poorly chlorinated swimming pools, but there has been no documented case of N. fowleri inhabiting salt water. In order for the infection to occur, contaminated water containing the excavate must be ingested via the nose, or insufflated. Naegleria fowleri then attaches itself to the olfactory nerve, entering the central nervous system and migrates to the brain where it multiplies greatly by feeding on nerve tissue. It’s a very rare disease, with some 300-400 cases reported to date.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:51:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015