Experts have asked a quarter of a million Floridians to keep their noses out of tap water after a Florida man died from a brain-eating amoeba.
Photos from open sources
In Charlotte County, Florida, a man died after allegedly rinsing his nose with tap water. This story has led many Floridians to avoid washing their faces with tap water. The Florida Department of Health confirmed that the deceased died after being infected with Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba.
The amoeba enters the body through the nose and then travels to the brain. The microorganism then destroys brain tissue, which causes a devastating infection. The infection is mostly fatal.
The initial symptoms of this infection are headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, disorientation, convulsions, and neck stiffness. The condition can lead to altered mental status, hallucinations, and even coma.
According to reports, 97 percent of those who contracted the disease died, and only four out of 154 patients survived the infection in the US between 1962 and 2021. According to media reports, the Florida man’s case was the first case in the US to occur in a winter month.
Dr. Mobin Rathore advised all Charlotte County residents not to stick their nose into the tap water during this time. During unavoidable situations, residents are asked to boil water first and then use it.
What is a brain-eating amoeba?
Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba, is a single-celled organism that is only visible under a microscope. It is found in warm freshwater bodies such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and also in the soil.
How does infection occur?
Amoeba infects people when, for example, they swim or dive in lakes and rivers. It can also happen if people use contaminated tap water to clean their noses and sinuses.
Once the amoeba enters the human brain through the nose, it destroys brain tissue and causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
“Infection with Naegleria fowleri is extremely rare and can only occur when amoeba-infected water enters the body through the nose,” the Florida Department of Health tweeted.
It will not infect a person by drinking contaminated water, the department added. This only happens when contaminated water enters the nose.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has not been found in salt water.
