According to health authorities, the man had washed his nose with tap water
In the United States, in Charlotte County, on the southwest coast of Florida, a man died after contracting a deadly microorganism, a microscopic amoeba also known as “eat brain”scientifically known as Naegleria fowleri.
Brain eating amoeba kills a man
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The news was given by the state health department which in a statement communicated that the deceased person (whose personal details have not been disclosed) showed traces of the parasite “probably as a result of practices of nasal washing with tap water“. Residents and the general population, it was advised to use only distilled or sterile water when preparing solutions for rinsing the sinuses.
ongoing epidemiological investigation
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The man’s death dates back to February, but the authorities, who are continuing to investigate the incident, have only now made it known: “An investigation is underwayepidemiological investigation to understand the specific circumstances of the infection” said Jae Williams of the Florida Department of Health. However, this is not the first time that Naegleria fowleri has hit the headlines in the United States. In 2020, in fact, the alarm had reached Texas where the authorities had asked to do not use tap water for a while. Furthermore, also in 2020, once again in Florida, a 13-year-old boy had been infected and subsequently died after diving into a lake.
what is brain eating amoeba
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Naegleria Fowleri is a unicellular organism that it is found in soil and freshwater from all over the world: love the heat and grows best at elevated temperatures, often in stagnant lakes or rivers. “It’s common in fresh water, particularly stagnant fresh water like water that gets hot in the sun,” a Florida health ministry spokesman said. “The bacterium Naegleria fowleri it is quite difficult to contract because it has to pass directly through the nose into the sinus and enter the brain. You cannot get infected by drinking tap water“.
symptoms
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“In rare situations, this amoeba can cause a brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM),” explained the health authority. The main symptoms of those who contract the parasite are headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, stiff neck and loss of balance. Also possible seizures and hallucinations. “Those who experience them after swimming in warm lakes or rivers or using unsafe water for a sinus rinse should immediately seek medical assistance” warned the US Department of Health.
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