"Swimming in Lake Ends in Disaster"…'Brain-Eating Amoeba' Infection Found in the US

Naegleria fowleri Mainly Inhabiting Freshwater
Infections Rare but Fatality Rate Reaches 97% Due to Lack of Treatment

The amoeba 'Naegleria fowleri' that invades the brain. Photo by CDC website capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Woo-seok] A case of infection by the brain-invading amoeba 'Naegleria fowleri' has been reported in Iowa, USA, prompting investigations by state health authorities and others.

According to a CBS report on the 11th (local time), a woman from Missouri was infected with Naegleria fowleri. Health authorities suspect that the infection occurred after the woman swam in a lake at the end of last month. The woman is currently receiving treatment in an intensive care unit.

The lake is currently closed, and the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating whether Naegleria fowleri is present in the lake.

Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that mainly inhabits freshwater and is commonly contracted while swimming in lakes or rivers. It typically enters the brain through the nose, destroying tissue. Infection does not occur through drinking water.

Although infections are rare, there is no treatment, and the fatality rate reaches 97%. From 1962 to 2021, only 4 out of 154 infected individuals in the United States survived.

The CDC explains that early symptoms include headache, fever, and vomiting, followed by stiff neck, seizures, and hallucinations.

In 2020, Naegleria fowleri was detected in tap water in a city in Texas, leading to a disaster declaration. In the same year, a 13-year-old boy traveling in Florida was infected and died, and in 2019, a 10-year-old girl died in Texas.

No cases of infection have been reported in Korea so far.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.