By Katy Galimberti
An Ohio teen died (click here) after contracting a brain-eating amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater while swimming on a trip in North Carolina.
The 18-year-old woman was on a church trip and is suspected to have contracted Naegleria Fowleri at a popular outdoor recreation center near Charlotte, NBC affiliate WCMH reported.
Commonly found in warm freshwater such as lakes, ponds and hot springs, humans are infected by the deadly organisms when water containing the amoeba travels through the nose and migrates to the brain, destroying the tissue.
High temperatures in the summer months elevate the risk of coming into contact with the brain-eating amoeba....
From the CDC:
...(click here) (commonly referred to as the "brain-eating amoeba" or "brain-eating ameba"), is a free-living microscopic ameba*, (single-celled living organism). It can cause a rare and devastating infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The ameba is commonly found in warm freshwater (e.g. lakes, rivers, and hot springs) and soil. Naegleria fowleri usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose...
Naegleria fowleri
Symptoms (click here) may start about 1 day to 1 week after exposure; initially symptoms may include:
changes in smell and taste,
headache,
fever,
stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting.
The patient may have confusion, ataxia (wobbliness), and seizures; and rapidly worsen over about 3 to 7 days with death occurring about 7 to 14 days after exposure. Patients, who are usually young, may not seek medical care quickly; most patients are diagnosed by examination of autopsied brain tissue....
