amoebic meningoencephalitis

[mdax]

ok, so this is not cool. Are there any cave systems that have had instances of these types of amoeba? Does it happen at other times of the year? Anyone have information regarding sites to avoid?

http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2011/08/12...sed-by-amoeba/
ORLANDO (CBS Tampa) — A Brevard County teen was hospitalized after an amoeba is believed to have infected her brain while she was swimming in a local river.

The young girl, identified in numerous reports as 16-year-old Courtney Nash, is currently listed in critical condition, officials said.

Barry Inman, an epidemiologist with the Brevard County Health Department, told CBS Tampa that the very rare infection, known as amoebic meningoencephalitis, has not yet been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control, but that officials believe a positive test will be returned any day.

“We got a result from the hospital in Orlando and they did a spinal tap on her, and they looked on the cerebral spinal fluid and they saw the amoeba. So we’re confident that this is a hospital that has some experience with this organism, and we’re confident about what the diagnosis is,” he said.

Inman said there are typically fewer than five cases a year in the entire country, and that only one person has survived the infection since the 1970s. Doctors treat it with anti-fungal medications and antibiotics.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Florida’s last confirmed case came in 2009.

“We have like one or two maybe a year. Sometimes we go a few years without having any cases in the United States, so it’s rare when it occurs, but when it occurs it’s not good,” Inman said.

Amoebic meningoencephalitis occurs often during very hot weather and is contracted in stagnant freshwater. “The water, because of jumping or swimming or whatever may occur, has to go up the nose into the nasal passages, into the sinuses, and into the brain,” Inman said. “In the brain you’ve got a lot of cerebral spinal fluid, you’ve got glucose, you’ve got protein, it’s just the perfect environment to proliferate and grow.”

Officials urge swimmers to avoid swimming in bodies of freshwater. Those who do should wear nose plugs or hold their nose when they jump or dive in.

[KevinCC007]

Amoebic meningoencephalitis occurs often during very hot weather and is contracted in stagnant freshwater. “The water, because of jumping or swimming or whatever may occur, has to go up the nose into the nasal passages, into the sinuses, and into the brain,” Inman said. “In the brain you’ve got a lot of cerebral spinal fluid, you’ve got glucose, you’ve got protein, it’s just the perfect environment to proliferate and grow.”

It does say stagnant freshwater, I grew up in Florida, and this is the first case I've seen attributed to a river rather than a lake. Since most of the springs are cooler water, and not stagnant, it seems not to be ideal habitat for the amoeba in question. You are more likely to die driving to the spring than getting this amoeba in any case.

[stairman]

I remember a case of this a few years back in Ocala. I think the springs are too cold for this to be problem but lakes and ponds in the heat of summer are bigger culprits.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Springs, probably not a problem....

The surface of sinkholes that don't have much water movement? They can grow all kinds of nasty stuff on the surface.

[RN]

I've heard of at least one incident a year of this happening since before I moved to Florida. While most spring water is too cool for this, the surface layers of many springs are warmer than 68 or 72 degrees. I know the top 6 inches of the Mill Pond is in the 80s right now and the top 15' or so of Orange Grove Sink is around 75 degrees or so. Considering the number of people that spend time in the water in Florida every summer, it appears that it's a very rare occurrence.

[skip]

great, now I have to worry about amoeba's crawling up my nose and eating my brain! on the other hand, they'd probably find it distasteful (as do most people) and crawl right back out!

skip

[FW]

great, now I have to worry about amoeba's crawling up my nose and eating my brain! on the other hand, they'd probably find it distasteful (as do most people) and crawl right back out!

skip

Just wear a mask, and don't take it off until you are out of the water.

[curtschu]

Spring are too cold, Sinks are not. The lake at Eagles Nest is also a potential concern. As stated in Martin Farr's Book it has been speculated to be a possible cause of Martz's strange behavior just prior to his disappearance in the Bahamas. Martz was known to deco without his mask on. The Amoeba is generally believed to enter the victim via the nose in very warm muddy water like the kind small children play in on the shore of a lake. Summer swimming in a Florida lake is not a good idea. Almost all confirmed victims are children. The St. Johns while a flowing river is very slow and with the heat we are getting in Central Florida will warm well into the danger zone close to shore where swimmers would be. Water Skiers are also at risk when they have high speed falls close to shore that drive water up the nose

[Kevin Carlisle]

That's just spooky!!!!!

[Jax]

More info, if you want: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5721a1.htm

We had a couple of cases last year. Don't stir up the bottom.