Pete's message is right

[zendisney]

This story is so sad.
Stay out of the damn Lakes! For real.

As reported by ABC NEWS
A second child died this month from a deadly parasite that grows in stagnant waters, health officials confirmed Tuesday.

Bonnie Strickland, the aunt of 9-year-old Christian Alexander Strickland, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that her nephew died Aug. 5 from amoebic meningoencephalitis, a deadly parasitic infection that attacks the brain and spine, after attending a fishing camp.

"The doctor described it to us as such a slight chance that they didn't even think it would be possible," Strickland told the newspaper.

"Sadly, we have had a Naegleria infection in Virginia this summer," Dr. Keri Hall, state epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health, said in a statement. "It's important that people be aware of...safe swimming messages."

A week after Christian's fishing camp, he began experiencing the telltale symptoms of the parasitic infection-turned-meningitis: headache, stiffness, fever and nausea.


ABC News

 

[Pirate Speedy]

Very Sad

http://news.yahoo.com/amoeba-blamed-swimming-death-florida-222005527.html

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

That is scary! I'm not found of being in a lake, but we do have a jet ski and my DH and DD love it. Plus she likes to jump off and swim when they are out. Not liking this at all.

 

[Cherinva]

How sad.

 

[FireDancer]

This girl did listen to Pete and stayed out of the damn lakes. She was swimming in a river.

 

[Reddy]

the water needs to be moving (but not too fast)
this is really sad

 

[dansyr2514]

They actually talked about this on good morning America out of NY today. It's national news now.

 

[safetymom]

We talked about it on the Podcast also this week.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

http://www.nola.com/health/index.ssf/2011/08/3_die_of_rare_brain_infection.html

 

[PinkBudgie]

That third one was a 20 year old who got it from his tap water in his house. Now that's scary.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

the water needs to be moving (but not too fast)
this is really sad

According to this article (http://outbreaknews.com/2011/08/16/follow-up-autopsy-reports-show-virginia-boy-died-naegleria/)oving - non-moving (like a lake) is just fine:

In a follow-up to last week’s story about a Virginia boy who died from meningitis from an unknown etiology, the Virginia Department of Health reports that the causative agent was actually the amoeba, Naegleria fowleri.

According to State Epidemiologist Keri Hall, an autopsy report received Friday confirmed the death as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), though she declined to identify the victim. However, family members say it is Christian Alexander Strickland, 9, of Henrico County (Christian Rands).

Hall says we may never know where the amoeba was contracted and the health department has not tested water sources where Christian was exposed during a fishing camp the week prior to his death.
Typically testing like that is not particularly useful.

Naegleria fowleri is a relatively rare, pathogenic amoeba is found in warm or hot freshwater like lakes, rivers and hot springs. It is also possible to get it from dirty unchlorinated or under-chlorinated swimming pools. This parasite is found worldwide and in the United States, it is found in mainly in the southern-tier states, including Florida. There were 6 cases reported to the CDC in 2007, 3 being reported from Florida.

People typically get it by swimming, jumping or playing in freshwater and get the water up their nose. From there the parasite travels to the brain and spinal cord and necrotizes or basically eats brain tissue. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) has a very rapid progression.
Typical symptoms may start after a day or two; headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. Later symptoms may include seizures, irrational behavior, hallucinations and finally coma and death. The course of the disease typically last about a week. Because the symptoms are very similar to bacterial meningitis, PAM may not even be considered in the diagnosis.
Unfortunately, treatment is usually unsuccessful with only a handful of people surviving infection.

You should always assume there is some risk when swimming in freshwater. The location and number of amoeba present in a body of water varies from time to time. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends these four steps to reduce your risk of infection:

• Avoid water-related activities in bodies of warm freshwater, hot springs, and thermally-polluted water such as water around power plants.
• Avoid water-related activities in warm freshwater during periods of high water temperature and low water levels.
• Hold the nose shut or use nose clips when taking part in water-related activities in bodies of warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers, or hot springs.
• Avoid digging in or stirring up the sediment while taking part in water-related activities in shallow, warm freshwater areas.

Now somebody tell me how the squirrelly little buggers got into that guy's household water system??? I am completely and totally creeped out! I can't count the number of times I get water up my nose taking a shower rinsing my hair (ok, I'm a little unsteady on my feet!). EEEWWWW!!!

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I remember just last December - I was staying at the BC Villas. I saw two women sitting at the Beach Club beach. They were watching their very young children splashing around in only about 7 inches of water. They were only getting their feet wet.

I got up, and walked over to the women and told them that although the water probably isn't hurting their feet right now - if they fell into the shallow water, and if they got water up their noses, it COULD make them sick enough to kill them.

THANKFULLY ..... they believed me and called the kids in from the water.