🧠🦠 Brain-Eating Amoeba (Naegleria fowleri): Causes, Symptoms & Prevention

 

🧠🦠 Brain-Eating Amoeba (Naegleria fowleri): Causes, Symptoms & Prevention

Brain-eating amoeba is a deadly microorganism scientifically called Naegleria fowleri.
It is a free-living freshwater amoeba that can infect humans and cause a rare but fatal brain disease known as:

👉 Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)

Although extremely rare, the infection is very serious and often fatal if not treated immediately.

It lives in warm freshwater, especially in:

  • Lakes
  • Hot springs
  • Rivers
  • Ponds
  • Warm water tanks
  • Unchlorinated swimming pools
  • Soil

It grows best in warm temperatures (25–46°C) and survives in hot water environments.

❗ How Does It Infect Humans?

Infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose.
From the nose, the amoeba travels to the brain through the olfactory nerve.

🧠 What Happens in the Brain?

Once inside, Naegleria fowleri:

  • Destroys brain tissue
  • Causes severe inflammation
  • Leads to rapid brain swelling

This condition is called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).

🩺 Symptoms (Start 1–12 Days After Exposure)

Early symptoms look like meningitis:

Early Symptoms

  • Severe headache
  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Stuffy nose
  • Loss of smell/taste

Late Symptoms

  • Neck stiffness
  • Confusion
  • Seizures
  • Hallucinations
  • Loss of balance
  • Coma

The disease progresses very fast (within days).

🧪 Diagnosis

Doctors use:

  • CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) examination
  • Microscopy to detect amoeba
  • PCR tests
  • Brain imaging (MRI/CT)

Early diagnosis is rare because the symptoms mimic bacterial meningitis.

💊 Treatment

Treatment must be started immediately.

Drugs used:

  • Miltefosine (most effective)
  • Amphotericin B
  • Azithromycin
  • Fluconazole
  • Rifampicin
  • Supportive ICU care
  • Cooling the body to reduce brain swelling

Survival is possible only with very early medical care.

🚫 Prevention Tips

Since the infection is rare but deadly, prevention is very important:

✔ Avoid swimming in warm freshwater during peak summer
✔ Use nose clips when swimming in lakes or rivers
✔ Avoid diving or submerging the head in untreated lakes
✔ Do not use untreated tap water for nasal rinsing (Neti pot)
✔ Keep swimming pools properly chlorinated
✔ Avoid disturbed muddy water

 

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