A case of human infection with the brain tissue-eating amoeba parasite has been confirmed in Florida. Infection with this deadly parasite is rare, but some scientists say its population is increasing due to climate change on the planet.
An infection with an amoeba called Naegleria fowleri has been confirmed in a resident of Hillsborough County, Florida. The state health department has warned those who frequently swim in bodies of water to remember to keep their noses closed. This is truly the most effective protection against Naegleria fowleri because the single-celled amoeba parasite enters the brain through the olfactory nerve. Infection can only occur through the nose. However, if Naegleria-contaminated water enters the esophagus, for example, a person will not be harmed. Naegleria is not spread from person to person.
The amoeba enters the human brain through the olfactory nerve. In the department, it is advisable to swim cautiously in open waters and not to touch the sand on the bottom. It is also advisable to avoid bodies of water with above-average water temperatures, especially those that are drying up. Cases of Fowler’s nail infection are rare. In Florida, 37 such cases have been reported since 1962. Amoebas are commonly found in warm freshwater reservoirs in the southern states. Several dozen infections have been reported in Europe, including several in the Czech Republic. No cases of Fowler’s palsy have been documented in Russia. Nudibranchs live in warm waters and become active in July and August. Their intensive reproduction begins when the water temperature reaches 35 degrees Celsius.
The infection is usually fatal. Under unfavorable living conditions, an amoeba can cover itself with a shell. When conditions become favorable again, it becomes active and begins to reproduce. This is a danger in places where reservoirs dry up and amoebas are carried by the wind along with dust from the ground. When a person inhales such dust, the amoeba enters the body and becomes active again. This is followed by a rise in body temperature, fever accompanied by nausea, vomiting, impaired coordination of movements, and convulsions reminiscent of an epileptic seizure. All this is the result of the gradual destruction of the brain. Despite the existence of preventive measures, the disease is often fatal. Some parasitologists believe that global warming may lead to, or is already leading to, the proliferation of amoeba parasites, including Negleria. There are also researchers who disagree with this theory.