Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba Confirmed in Florida

[steve2470]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/deadly-brain-eating-amoeba-confirmed-in-florida?ref=home

Health officials in Florida have sounded the alarm over the discovery of a rare, brain-eating amoeba in the county that encompasses Tampa and several other cities. The Florida Department of Health announced the news Friday that a person in Hillsborough County had suffered a confirmed infection of naegleria fowleri, a single-celled living amoeba that can lead to a dangerous infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Such an infection “destroys the brain tissue and is usually fatal,” health officials warned. The amoeba is usually found in lakes, rivers, and ponds, particularly when the water is warm. There have only been 37 confirmed cases of the amoeba since 1962, and health officials say the best way to prevent an infection is by “avoiding nasal contact with the waters, since the amoeba enters through the nasal passages.” Of the 143 documented cases of brain infection caused by naegleria fowleri in the U.S., only four people have survived.

*end of story*

Link to tweet

[Ninga]

1. Just. Good. Grief. Florida!! Nt

[dameatball]

2. Nasty stuff, but it has been around for decades, and not just in Florida. When

growing up we were always told not to swim around in shallow water and avoid stirring up the silt and sand on the bottom. I have no idea if that helped or not.

[Laffy Kat]

9. On the news, the experts said the same thing: don't stir up the silt.

I just read it can also be found in poorly maintained swimming pools.

[dameatball]

10. Ah, ok. I guess my parents were smarter than I thought.....again...:)

[Cirque du So-What]

3. A cursory glance wasn't helpful

in finding the affected bodies of water. Warnings mentioned several types of freshwater locations, but the photo was presumably a beach connecting with the Gulf of Mexico. Are public health officials going to make people dig for relevant information to avoid going to a ‘hot spot?’

[Laelth]

4. Florida. Such an interesting place. n/t

-Laelth

[cos dem]

5. Just like Australia, everything in Florida is trying to kill you.

Alligators, snakes, amoebas, the Governor.

[CentralMass]

6. You did include the Governor.

[iscooterliberally]

13. Wait, what?

I thought the Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba Confirmed in Florida was in fact the Governor. Who knew?

[MontanaMama]

7. Oh Florida.

Simmer down.

[Laffy Kat]

8. It happens every year when it gets hot.

It's very rare, however. Keep water from going up your nose.

[fleur-de-lisa]

11. Trump's in Florida this weekend?

[SeattleVet]

12. Well, that can certainly explain a lot of things! nt