In North Carolina, in the United States, a man died of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis ten days after being contaminated by a “brain-eating” amoeba in a water park. Explanations.
When a visit to the amusement park turns into a nightmare. On July 25, an American died after going to a water park in North Carolina (United States) where he caught an amoeba, the Naegleria fowleripopularly known as the “brain-eating” amoeba, North Carolina health authorities have reported. in a press release. In fifty years, this extremely rare infection has been diagnosed 310 times worldwide and only four people have survived.
On July 12, 59-year-old Eddie Grey, goes to the water park at Fantasy Lake in Cumberland County. While bathing, the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, which is found in warm (over 25°C) and stagnant water, enters its nose. The contamination causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis: the micro-organism invisible to the naked eye enters the brain by going up the olfactory nerve and destroys the brain tissue. Five days later, the first symptoms appear: the man begins to vomit and suffers from excruciating migraines and convulsions before falling into a coma. Ten days later, Eddie Gray dies of respiratory depression.
“Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones. The public should be aware that this organism is present in the warm waters of lakes, rivers and hot springs found in North Carolina, so be careful when swimming. or have fun doing water sports,” North Carolina state epidemiologist Zack Moore said in a press release.
Only four people have survived this infection worldwide
Fortunately, the torture that Eddie Gray suffered was experienced by very few people in the world. Because this lethal infection is very rare in 95% of cases. In 2014, the French Health Agency revealed that 310 cases would have been diagnosed in the world in fifty years. According to the US Department of Health, between 1962 and 2018, Naegleria fowleri infected 145 people in the country. In 2014, health authorities issued an alert in Louisiana after discovering a deadly amoeba in the water circuit of four municipalities. Faced with this real and growing threat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have published sheets aimed at the population.
In 2016, a Florida hospital managed to save an infected 16-year-old boy in extremis through a combination of antimicrobials, an artificial coma and placement in hypothermia. This patient “is one of four people known to have survived in the United States over the past 50 years”, welcomes the hospital.
A single case declared in France in 2008
In France, only one case has been reported: in 2008 a 9-year-old boy died of meningitis after bathing in a pool fed by a hot spring in Guadeloupe where the bacteria had been detected. Analyzes then confirmed traces in the cerebrospinal fluid of the victim.
But unfortunately, the presence of Naegleria fowleri in fresh water being natural, the latter cannot be eradicated from lakes and rivers, explain the American health authorities. The micro-organism can also be detected in drinking water systems but remains harmless when ingested by mouth. Also, if you find yourself in an aquatic environment that he likes (where the water is stagnant and very hot), avoid letting water seep into your nose.
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