What You Need to Know About the Brain Eating Amoeba Naegleria Fowleri

You may have heard about the brain-eating amoeba and that it can be found in lakes, rivers, or other bodies of fresh water. You might think you’ll never come into contact with this organism, but it’s important to know what you need to guard against if you spend time outside in the heat or humidity. The brain-eating amoeba is a type of protozoan that is able to feed on human tissue. It is present throughout the world in bodies of water and enters the human body through the nose. Once inside the body, it travels to the brain where it feeds on nerve tissue and causes an infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).






What is a brain-eating amoeba?

An amoeba is a single-celled organism that can be found almost anywhere in the world. Almost all amoebae are harmless and exist in fresh water or soil. However, some species can cause infections in humans and other animals. A brain-eating amoeba is an amoeba that can cause a rare but serious infection of the brain in humans. The amoeba is naturally present in many freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs. Infection with this amoeba is very rare, and only a few dozen cases have been reported in the United States in the past decade. The amoeba enters the body through the nose. From there, it travels to the brain and feeds on brain tissue. Infection with the brain-eating amoeba is almost always fatal.




What does a brain-eating amoeba look like?

There are many different types of amoebas, and each type has a slightly different appearance. The amoeba that causes PAM is a species called Naegleria fowleri. Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba that can be found in freshwater around the world. If a sample of water is examined under a microscope, it is possible to see Naegleria fowleri swimming in the sample. PAM is caused by a rare and unusual species of amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. The “amoeba” part of Naegleria fowleri refers to the fact that it is a single-celled organism. The “brain-eating” part refers to the fact that the organism is able to eat the brain.




How do you get a brain eating amoeba infection?

The brain-eating amoeba is naturally present in many freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs. The amoeba is not harmful unless you are swimming in water that is contaminated with bacteria or other organisms that can cause infections. In order to get a PAM infection, you need to be swimming in water that is contaminated with the brain-eating amoeba and have water go up your nose. It is rare for contaminated water to get up someone’s nose, but it can happen when people are swimming in larger bodies of water like rivers or lakes. One way to reduce your risk of getting a PAM infection is to keep your head above water when you are swimming.




Amoeba Symptoms and Signs

There are no visible signs or symptoms when an amoeba enters your body. The infection caused by an amoeba can be difficult to diagnose because it can look like many other diseases. It is important to let your doctor know if you have been swimming in fresh water in the past several weeks or if you have been in a warm or hot tub. It’s also important to let your doctor know if you have been swimming in a place where there is a risk of contamination, like a river near a sewage line. The most common symptoms of a PAM infection are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck. Infections that are caused by other species of amoebae may have these same symptoms, so it is important to let your doctor know if you have been swimming in fresh water in the past few weeks.




How to protect yourself from the brain-eating amoeba?

If you’re swimming in fresh water and there is a risk of contamination, you can reduce the risk of getting a PAM infection by keeping your head above water. Another way to reduce the risk of getting a PAM infection is to use nose plugs. If you are going to be swimming in fresh water, you can lower your risk of getting a PAM infection by keeping your head above water. You can also use nose plugs to prevent contaminated water from getting up your nose.




Conclusion

The brain-eating amoeba can be found in bodies of water around the world. It can cause a rare but serious infection in humans, and it can be fatal if not treated quickly. There are many ways to lower your risk of getting a PAM infection, including keeping your head above water and using nose plugs