4 year-old kill by amoeba by Madi Frampton 5th

       

  A 4 year old child from Mississippi was killed by a rare but dead brain eating amoeba called waterborne Naegleria fowleri. amoeba It is said that he caught this amoeba through a toy water slide while visiting a home in Louisiana. Health officials tested the water and did find it positive but have not found anymore traces anywhere else however, they are taking caution and running chlorine and extra cleaning materials through the water lines to ensure it is safe to drink etc.

This boy was not the only one reported dead due to this amoeba in the last 2 weeks. The same parasite killed 12 year old Zachary Reyna from Florida. Then 12 year old Hardig from Arkansas survived the parasite after catching it in July.

In between 2001 and 2010 there were only 32 cases of Naegleria fowleri and most cases were found in southeast. It is not found in hot springs and warmer waters ironically but, the amoeba is not dangerous to drink it would much rather travel up your nose into your brain and kill you. It starts feeling as a cold or flu such as vomiting, runny nose, fever,and chills then works its way into more severe symptoms such as confusion, lack of conscious around you, seizures, hallucinations, and loss of balance. Then it will work its way to killing you in 1-12 days.

Naegleria Fowleri is not something we should freak out over every day but we should be aware of.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/06/health/amoeba-death/index.html?hpt=hp_bn13