Deadly Amoeba Found: Texas Authorities Warn Summer Swimmers to Avoid Freshwater

Started by drunkenshoe, September 26, 2020, 03:18:40 PM

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drunkenshoe

Deadly Amoeba Found: Texas Authorities Warn Summer Swimmers to Avoid Freshwater

Somebody posted this here. https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/25969/20200606/deadly-amoeba-found-texas-authorities-warn-summer-swimmers-avoid-freshwater.htm

Quote... The Naegleria fowleri, amoeba found in most untreated freshwater and in soil, causes a 'rare but usually, a fatal illness called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). They thrive in stagnant, warm freshwater at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Texas weather currently is at about 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has agreed with local authorities to stay clear of low water levels at these hot temperatures. Officials shared that infection occurs after the amoeba enters the nose into swimmers diving or jumping into rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds.

The amoeba may also be in contaminated water such as tap water or a swimming pool, which is a rare circumstance. Infection cannot be spread nor does the amoeba enter the body by drinking contaminated water. PAM is a brain infection as a result of the amoeba damaging brain tissue.

Symptoms occur about five days after infection which includes headache, nausea, fever, or vomiting. Proceeding symptoms include confusion, lack of attention, loss of balance, stiff neck, seizures, coma, and hallucinations. When symptoms start, the disease moves fast and results in death within about five days.

In North America, there had only been five known survivors from 1978 to 2016 who received, four of which were Americans and one Mexican. The four survivors were part of the 143 total infected persons in 38 years. ...
"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

aitm

Texans won’t care, they ain’t afraid of nothing but tornadoes and gays.
A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust

aitm

A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust

Baruch

Serious.  Many farm boys have died from ingesting pond water ... if a cow has been near it.  Commonly death by amoeba growth inside you ;-(
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Draconic Aiur


Hydra009

QuoteThe amoeba may also be in contaminated water such as tap water or a swimming pool
Isn't the whole point of treating drinking water and using pool chemicals in swimming pools to prevent it from being contaminated?

aitm

Discovering a reason for a death now that we can, does not mean it has not been happening for a million years without that knowledge.
A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust


Baruch

Quote from: Hydra009 on September 26, 2020, 04:19:05 PM
Isn't the whole point of treating drinking water and using pool chemicals in swimming pools to prevent it from being contaminated?

Water in nature isn't chlorinated.  In the desert, don't drink from a water pool that has no insects, because if nothing lives in it, it likely has arsenic in it.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Blackleaf

Quote from: aitm on September 26, 2020, 03:51:17 PM
Texans won’t care, they ain’t afraid of nothing but tornadoes and gays.

Tornadoes? Maybe it depends on which part of Texas you live in, but we rarely get tornadoes in my area. Hurricanes are the bigger threat, although they seem to usually take a last minute turn in the gulf and hit Louisiana instead.
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

Baruch

Quote from: Blackleaf on September 26, 2020, 09:25:17 PM
Tornadoes? Maybe it depends on which part of Texas you live in, but we rarely get tornadoes in my area. Hurricanes are the bigger threat, although they seem to usually take a last minute turn in the gulf and hit Louisiana instead.

Cajun food is a hurricane favorite ;-)  N Texas gets plenty of tornadoes.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

aitm

I spent 12 years in Texas one day, in the north panhandle. Lubbock. Saw at least one tornado 11 years in a row.
A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust

SGOS

The amoeba must surely be everyone's favorite protozoan.  If you asked an 8 year old what was the best thing about science, right after dinosaurs, he would probably say. "The amoeba."  Giant amoeba like creatures are the most loveable creation of science fiction, except mabye for Mr. Spock.  All my years of loving science, I never actually saw a live amoeba; Dead ones in slides only.  But they can get nasty too.  I believe giardia is caused by an amoeba, and for a while, hikers in the Rocky Mountains were cautioned about drinking water from fresh mountain lakes and streams because of giardia.  Sales of small filtration pumps for back packers went through the roof, and and outsold ponchos at REI and Dicks Sporting Goods.  I never knew anyone that got giardia.  I asked my doctor if he ever had to treat giardia.  I think he said he had a patient who might have had it once.  I think amoebas are known to cause some other sicknesses too.

Oops!  I just checked.  Giardia is caused by a flagellated microorganism, not an ameoba.

Baruch

How cilia of you, SGOS!  The only live pond creatures I gathered and looked at under a microscope (9th grade) was a planarian.  You can cut them in two, and the two halves regrow the missing half.  Now that is a survival mechanism!
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Gawdzilla Sama

We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers