‘Brain-eating’ Amoeba Kills 3 This Summer — Including 9-Year-Old Boy
- Posted on August 18, 2011 at 12:21pm by
Liz Klimas
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ATLANTA (The Blaze/AP) — It happens every year. However isolated and rare, each summer a brain-eating parasite kills water-goers, usually children. This year is no different: two children and a young man have died already from an amoeba that lives in water, health officials say.
This month, the rare infection killed a 16-year-old Florida girl, who fell ill after swimming, and a 9-year-old Virginia boy, who died a week after he went to a fishing day camp. The boy had been dunked the first day of camp, his mother told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Those cases are consistent with past cases, which are usually kids — often boys — who get exposed to the bug while swimming or doing water sports in warm ponds or lakes.
Parasitic amoebas can be found in geothermal pools, lake and other bodies of stagnant water. (Themes of Parasitology)
The third case, in Louisiana, was more unusual. It was a young man whose death in June was traced to the tap water he used in a device called a neti pot. It’s a small teapot-shaped container used to rinse out the nose and sinuses with salt water to relieve allergies, colds and sinus trouble.
Health officials later found the amoeba in the home’s water system. The problem was confined to the house; it wasn’t found in city water samples, said Dr. Raoult Ratard, Louisiana’s state epidemiologist.
The young man, who was only identified as in his 20s and from southeast Louisiana, had not been swimming nor been in contact with surface water, Ratard added.
He said only sterile, distilled, or boiled water should be used in neti pots.
The illness is extremely rare. About 120 U.S. cases — almost all of them deaths — have been reported since the amoeba was identified in the early 1960s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About three deaths are reported each year, on average. Last year, there were four.
There are no signs that cases are increasing, said Jonathan Yoder, who coordinates surveillance of waterborne diseases for the CDC.
The amoeba — Naegleria fowleri (nuh-GLEER-ee-uh FOWL-er-eye) — gets up the nose, burrows up into the skull and destroys brain tissue. It’s found in warm lakes and rivers during the hot summer months, mostly in the South.
It’s a medical mystery why some people who swim in amoeba-containing water get the fatal nervous system condition while many others don’t, experts say.
But the cases that do occur tend to be tragic, and there’s only been one report of successful treatment.
“It’s very difficult to treat. Most people die from it,” Ratard said.
__
AP writer Stephanie Nano in New York contributed to this report.
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AlwaysLearning
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 2:32amOkay, maybe I’m infected with a brain-eating amoeba. I don’t see the pictures mentioned – of either the amoeba OR Nancy Pelosi. Am I missing a link?
Report Post »BubbaT
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 10:23am“OHHHH NOOOO MR BILL” you’re DEAD!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:21am@encinom the ID 10 T
Report Post »I invited Encinom, Harry Reid, Nancy P and Michele O over for dinner and served them all soup. By the time I returned with the salad and bread all I could see was that progressive virus trying to get away from those socialist blood-suckers. It was afraid, very afraid!
The-Monk
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:08amIt actually looks like Harry Reid eating cheerios.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:05amLooks like Michele getting ready for another Lobster dinner.
Report Post »citizen b
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 11:03pmis it only me, or does the amoeba from the pic actually look like a monster?
Report Post »imreddog
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:50pmOh, I almost forgot. Obama sucks. Whew, that was a close one.
Report Post »Bernard
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 9:29pmThis amoeba must have a short gestation period or it would have spread to a larger population. But with repeated contact with humans I would not be surprised if this amoeba evolves to a degree that it can become a pandemic. With Obamacare we are assured that this disease will take flight and infect and kill more.
Report Post »When (and not if) this happens one can place a bet that the Muslim in the White house, President Hussein, with the blessings from his Muslim brotherhood would claim it is a racist issue and not a failed Obamacare problem.
rangerp
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 9:34pmI felt guilty, as when I first read this, I was hoping that Nancy Pelosi might get infected with it. Then I realized it was a brain eatin amoeba, and thus would starve to death before actually doing any harm.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 8:07pmWell at least the ameoba is showing more intelligence than Encinom.
Report Post »Endstatism
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 4:34pmThere is one treatment that has not bee tried and that is the chemotherapy used to fight cancer cells. Maybe someone who is better versed in medical and biological matters can straighten me out, but I would think that the substances used in chemotherapy would be lethal to the amoeba cells.
Report Post »imreddog
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:49pmThere are a couple of things that would kill the amoeba if they can get it into contact with it. MMS would most likely do the job and hydrogen peroxide might also. Since these aren’t FDA approved, the doctors have to let the patients die or lose their license to practice medicine. The FDA is controled by the drug manufacturers so a lot of people are sentenced to death because of their greed.
Report Post »toddtheartist
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 4:27pmWhy does every story on here have to have comments that lead back to Obama? A 9 year old boy dies in a tragic situation and people are making cracks about it being linked to Obama and democrats. Shame.
Report Post »2smart
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 6:40pm@toddtheartist. Sorry your offended, but really when you think about it the story would explain a lot of things linked to the current administration, the followers and the leftist crazies who worship at the alter of the Empty Suit. I really have a hard time grasping how some given the current situation of our country can preach the hate and follow whatever fix is suggested by the leaders of the Democratic Party, the Eggplant in Chief or his faithful zombies whenever history shows us that there solution is flawed and has failed when its been tried before. It’s moronic that they suggest the same old failures expecting the outcome to be different. Why is this, toddtheartist? Brain eating amoebas?
Report Post »toddtheartist
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:08amPersonally I’m not offended, but if I were the mother of the 9 year old boy I would be. Look, I‘m not saying that given any situation I can’t find some sort of symbolism or snarky comment to make about the Obama administration or liberals in general. But given the contents of the story and the tragic situation I’d have to weigh in on whether or not such a comment would be constructive or destructive.
Report Post »Nobody thinks that what is really wrong with liberals is a brain-eating amoeba. So given the tragedy of the situation, why even make the comment?
If there was a story about a young girl getting raped, I’m sure I could make some comment about how the Obama administration is doing the same thing to the American people. But I wouldn‘t do that because it’s insensitive and I’d be a complete jerk for saying such a thing.
thegreatcarnac
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 4:19pmIf the brain eating amoeba is in the cranium of obama…it is starving to death.
Report Post »DallyWama
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:45pmIs this what is affecting Obama?
Report Post »jessicahooley
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 4:21pmHahahaha I’d venture to say it is!
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 5:11pmnot diminishing the death of a child…but why is there a picture of Nancy Pelosi for this article?
Report Post »floridaconservative
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:30pm@encinom How would you kknow? Liberalism is a brain disorder along the lines of Microcephalie (thats small brain for you lib’s that are not smart enough to know). Now go get that small brain of yours examined if they can find it.
Report Post »dangmc
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:10pmI’ve used a neti pot now for several years and for those of us subject to sinus infections or hay fever they offer immediate relief. ALWAYS use steam distilled water.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 2:57pmAt least we now that it is a medical condiction aflicting the Tea-baggers and Beckerheads.
joe1234
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:06pmat least we have a brain to infect unlike you liberal wackos….
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:07pm@ encinom
Seriously? That’s all you can say? How about a little compassion for the families of these people?
Report Post »Would your remark be the same if it was your child or loved one? Sadly it probably would be.
Ethereal
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:31pm@encinom
Report Post »How compassionate of you. You are part of the party of compassion right? Thanks for proving us right and yourselves liars yet again. This is almost too easy, you continuously walk right into it and the rest of you are so stupid that you don’t notice your own hypocritical nature. Or maybe you do notice it and your evil. Take your pick; stupid or evil.
Solzhenitsin
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:35pmWhy do you insist on using inappropriate sexual slurs? It only makes you look petty, nasty, and uniformed.
Report Post »Son of Freedom
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:40pmmost of us on here have figured out what sits between your ears, a Douche Bag.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 5:19pmDid you pout and huff when you typed that ENCINOM?
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 6:55pmand you too, for a remark like that, you must have brain damage…The only people that deserve a remark like that are the morons still supporting Obastard!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:19amI invited Encinom, Harry Reid, Nancy P and Michele O over for dinner and served them all soup. By the time I returned with the salad and bread all I could see was that progressive virus trying to get away from those socialist blood-suckers. It was afraid, very afraid!
Report Post »felix
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 2:56pmlooks like obama
Report Post »GETLIFE
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:46pmamoeba…. amoba….obama.
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 2:41pmWhat? god made an amoeba that eats peoples brains? whata jerk
joe1234
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:06pmno you racist god and savior darwin waived his bloodstained hands and created it….
Report Post »floridaconservative
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:33pmboy you really are a sick POS have you been swiming in a warm pond lately?
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 4:00pmClearly God hates humans, He makes them sick and die all the time.
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:44pmjoe you’re usually good with the citations.. Never heard of darwin creating an amoeba.. got a reference for that? Is it a racist amoeba?
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 12:45pm@simple… yes, especially children… sins of the father right.. darn.
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:20pmhey cesium, ever think God doesn’t want a piece of trash like you?
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 1:23pm@simple cesium…, looks like God doesn’t mind stupid…..
Report Post »Cesium
Posted on August 19, 2011 at 3:33pm@joe, no I don’t think that… I don’t care about fanciful thoughts… if there is a god I’m sure he hates me. I am a jew after all and it worked out nice for so us in 1940 but you‘d probably say we deserved it along with the christians who were slaughtered who didn’t do it as right as you do.. yea, he hates my fiiiing guts so bad I’m still here having to hear it from your righteous holier than thou a**
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on August 20, 2011 at 10:06amyou love fanciful thoughts…like that RACIST atheist fairy tale known as evolution…you bow down for it…..LOL …but its much easier to let others do your thinking for you and just follow along, as your posts prove…
oh you’re not a jew. you don’t believe your own scripture, how can you be a jew? you claim to be a ‘scientist’ and your posts have proven what lie that is…do you ever tell the truth?
Report Post »ddg7
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 2:34pmBrain eating amoeba? Whew…for a moment there I was afraid for the president!
Report Post »PASSIONFORCHRIST
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 3:33pmHey ddg7 & Dustyluv, I am still LOL while trying to respond! GOOD ONE!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 2:26pmIf it was eating democratic brains it would starve to death…
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