Naegleria Fowleri is a type of thermophilic i.e. heat loving, single-celled and free-living ameba found commonly across the world in warm fresh water, like hot springs, rivers and lakes, along with the soil. Naegleria Fowleri is the single species to cause infection to other people. Many times, Naegleria Fowleri survives in the habitats of freshwater by feeding on other bacteria.
However, in some cases, the respective ameba causes infection in humans by entering their nose when they involve in varieties of water-related activities. After the nose, Naegleria Fowleri ameba travels to the human brain to cause severe infection referred as PAM i.e. primary amenic meningoencephalitis, which is a fatal condition.
What Are The Ways To Prevent Naegleria infection?
Naegleria infection typically takes place when individuals go to dive or swim in warm and freshwater places like rivers and lakes.
Until now, doctors have failed to control the naturally occurring of Naegleria Fowleri levels in rivers and lakes, which makes the prevention of the infection quite difficult.
Considering this fact, swimmers and recreational users of water should assume about low risk level whenever they enter any freshwater lake, hot spring or river for waterskiing, diving or swimming.(1)
Hence, the single assured way to prevent any Naegleria Fowleri infection from swimming is avoiding the water-related activities or water sports in any of the warm freshwater bodies. Especially, you should reduce the risk related to Naegleria Infection by reducing your personal actions by focusing on limiting the exact amount of water entering the nose. These include the following-
- Hold the nose shut, use suitable nose clips, keep the head above water while you participate in any type of water related activities go on in warm water bodies.
- You should strictly avoid placing the head beneath the water in any type of untreated thermal water and in hot springs.
- You should avoid involving in any water sports or related activities during the months when the temperature of the water remains excessively high.
- You should never go stirring up or digging in the sediments while you participate in any type of water activities in warm and shallow freshwater areas.
Each of these recommendations make common sense although not based on any relevant scientific test, as less numbers of Naegleria infections create difficulty to show their overall effectiveness.(1)
Symptom Stage Of Naegleria Infection
Signs and symptoms related to Naegleria infection occurs in two different stages, according to which-
Stage 1
Initially, you will experience the following symptoms-
Stage 2
Symptoms of Naegleria infection become adverse with time, which include-
- Stiffed neck
- Altered mental status
- Seizures
- Coma
- Hallucinations (2)
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