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NEW YORK, July 26, 2019 / PRNewswire / – A man was killed by a brain amoeba earlier this week, according to a report in the Chwezi Traveler newspaper. The death of the man came a few days after visiting a water park at Cumberland County, North Carolinawhere he was infected Naegleria fowleri.
In the five decades between 1962 and 2018, only 145 people were infected with this single-cell organism in the United States – but according to the New York Timesonly four of these individuals survived.
The victim – named as Eddie Gray, 59, from Guildford County, NC – visited the Hope Mills & # 39; Fantasy Lake Water Park with a group of the church of Kernersville United Methodist Church of Sedge Garden. Gray, according to his obituary, was an avid kayaker and enjoyed NASCAR as well as fishing and hunting.
Fantasy Lake is a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts. According to the park's website, attractions include Tarzan swings, a multitude of slides and the opportunity to practice sports such as paddle boarding and kayaking. Water volleyball and water basketball are also part of the activities on offer.
The cause of Gray's death, Naegleria fowleri, is an amoeba known to be found in running water and motionless in the state of North Carolina. "People need to know that this organism is present in freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs North Carolina, so think of swimming or water sports, "said an epidemiologist, Zack Moore in a report.
North Carolina Department of Health sought to provide additional information about the disease as a result of the death. "[Naegleria fowleri] does not cause illness when ingested, but can be fatal if it is forced through the nose, as may be the case during dives, water skiing or other water activities. " , read a statement from the department
Hope Mills & # 39; Fantasy Lake, located on the outside Fayetteville in Cumberland County, NC, in fact warns visitors of the presence of the cerebral amoeba. "The risk of Naegleria fowleri is low when one enters warm fresh water.Infections are more likely to occur when the water temperature is high and the water level is high. is low, "says the park.
Indeed, the disease caused by the amoeba can only be contracted when the unicellular organism is pushed up the nose. This fact is cited to allay concerns about swimming in the park and in the state.
However, other activities that may result in such a case, such as jumping into water, diving or being submerged, should be considered to be of higher risk. For this reason, the Cumberland County Department of Health recommends taking precautions in these activities. For example, individuals should aim to keep their heads above the surface and use nose plugs to keep the nose closed when they enter the water.
Symptoms of the disease may include nausea, vomiting, and headache. Worryingly, the effects can worsen very quickly and make the infection – called primary amoeba meningoencephalitis – difficult to identify. The majority of victims die within seven to 14 days.
The ingestion of water containing the amoeba is safe, however. If this is the case, however, the amoeba can follow the olfactory nerve to the brain – how far it can begin to destroy brain tissue, leading to irreversible damage.
Of the 145 cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis recorded, five were observed in North Carolina. The last known case in the state was that of Lauren Seitz, a student who contracted the disease after being overwhelmed with Charlottebased in the United States. The majority of cases, however, are observed in Texas and Florida.
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