The victim of a deadly parasite was a 4-year-old boy, whom the parents found dead in the backyard of the house. It is assumed that the child became infected when riding on a water hill, as the amoeba Naegleria fowleri enters the body through nasopharynx.
Residents of the parish of St. Bernard, which is located near New Orleans, can no longer drink water directly from the tap, reports the British newspaper The Independent. In the Department health officials confirmed that tap water started up a rare and dangerous amoeba, which, once in the human body, gets to the brain and feeds on its cells.
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Naegleria fowleri, as explained by experts, penetrates the body of his victim through the nose, then attaches to the cranial nerve and advancing to the brain. At first, the infected complain of a headache. pain, nausea, neck pain and fever. Then sick begin to rave, suffer from hallucinations, cramps and often lose consciousness. The disease progresses rapidly and usually leads to death within 12 days.
A dangerous parasite cannot get into the victim’s body if a person only drinks contaminated water. In addition, the amoeba can be killed, previously boiling the liquid before use.
“Water can be drunk. There are basic precautions that must observe everything in order to protect themselves and members their families. These are pool disinfection and entry prevention water in the nose, “said Jimmy Hydry, the chief health officer.
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Over the past 10 years, 32 cases have been recorded similar infection. In July, doctors miraculously saved 12 year old girl from Arkansas.
Naegleria fowleri was first discovered in Australia in sixties of the last century. In the USA from 1995 to 2004 from The parasite killed 23 people. Recent amount deaths are increasing. Scientists believe that this due to global warming because Naegleria fowleri lives in water bodies at a temperature of 25-30 ° C.
For an unknown reason, most often victims of Naegleria fowleri are the boys.
A photo from open sources
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