brain eating ameabas

[d-r]

Here is a link to a story about brain eating amoeba's in central florida lakes - I've always been sort of skeptical when someone says that the walt disney world lakes are closed for swimming because of brain eating amaebas, but maybe there is something to it after all -

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20020725-100255-1720r

[suzanneb]

but there is an amoeba "Naegleria" that can cause a fatal encephalitis. It enters thru the nose from contaminated lake water. This is why all the lakes around WDW have caveats about swimming. Nose plugs are a very good investment if one wants to swim in warm freshwater lakes.

[space42]

I saw this story on CNN today. They said that the boy had a cut on his leg and that is how they think he got the amoeba infection.
Crazy, its almost always fatle. Thank god it is a very rare infection.

[suzanneb]

these are two separate items. The amoeba, Naeglaria, is a problem when contaminated water "goes up the nose"...can result in a usually fatal encephalitis.
The wound infection was caused by a bacterium, I didn't see which one, but very likely genus Aeromonas. This is not life threatening, but DOES need rapid treatment.