A man died in Georgia after being infected with the brain-eating amoeba: what is it and how is it treated?
Of Ilaria Minucci Published on 31 July 2023
The victims of thebrain-eating amoeba in the United States of America: A man died in Georgia. The local health authorities revered the new death.
Brain-eating amoeba, one dead in Georgia
“Died of an infection from Naegleria fowleri, which destroys brain tissue causing brain swelling and usually death.” So writes the US Department of Public Health. Just ten days prior to the registered victim in Georgia, it had been reported that a 14 year old boy he had managed to survive the infection while remaining, however, paralyzed.
As for the man who died in Georgia, according to the first reconstruction of the health authorities, it seems that he became infected while doing the swimming in a lake or pond. As recalled by American health professionals, Naegleria fowleri “it is not found in salt water, like the ocean, and is not found in properly treated drinking water and swimming pools.” However, it is possible to contract it in fresh water such as that of a lake.
Following the man’s death, experts remarked that “only about three people in the United States are infected each year, but these infections are generally fatal”. Consulting the data of the health authorities, between 1962 and 2021, 154 cases were diagnosed and confirmed. Of the infected patients, only four people survived.
Bassetti: “There have also been cases in Italy”
With regard to the brain-eating amoeba infection, the director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the San Martino Polyclinic of Genoa intervened, Matthew Bassetti. “Amoebiasis can also have abdominal localization, as well as cerebral. Of course, these infections also run in relation to the patient’s immunosuppressive state. This micro-organism is quite common in developing countries. It should be known that the so-called ‘brain-eating amoeba’ exists but is not so frequent. In the past we have also seen episodes in Italy. But I wouldn’t make a case of it. Rather, we need to invest more in knowledge ”, explained the infectious disease specialist.
Bassetti then observed: “Even today the 90% of infectious diseases are unknown. Percentage that certainly applies to some parts of the world, such as Africa for example. I am thinking of the mammoth worms released by the melting of the permafrost in Siberia and returned to life after 46,000 years. More important investments in research are needed. In the future we will be able to bring back to life even viruses from millions of years ago. This may allow us to study a world of which we do not yet know anything”.