Brain Eating Amoeba Alert - Seattle Water supply (historical)

[Bob]

December 6, 2018 is the article, not the incident.

The study finally came out - something is letting brain eating amoeba's into Seattle's water supply.

The study was authored by Swedish doctors and researchers who worked on her case, including Cobbs. The publication doesn’t identify the victim.

The woman’s infection is the second ever reported in Seattle — the first came in 2013 — but the first fatality to be caused by it. In 1990, researchers first became aware that this type of amoeba can cause disease in people, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in November. That report found there have been 109 cases of the amoeba reported in the U.S. between 1974 and 2016. Ninety percent of those cases were fatal.

Researchers said the woman likely contracted the amoebas by using tap water to fill a neti pot, rather than using saline or sterile water. The organisms entered her brain after the water reached nerves in her upper nasal cavity. She was 69.

“When I operated on this lady, a section of her brain about the size of a golf ball was bloody mush,” Dr. Charles Cobbs, neurosurgeon at Swedish, said in a phone interview. “There were these amoeba all over the place just eating brain cells. We didn’t have any clue what was going on, but when we got the actual tissue we could see it was the amoeba.”

The woman died a month later from the rare organisms that entered her brain after being injected into her nasal cavity by way of a neti pot, a teapot-shaped product used to rinse out the sinuses and nasal cavity, according to a case study recently published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Don't irrigate your nasal cavity with tap water.

ref: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/rare-brain-eating-amoebas-kill-seattle-woman-leave-doctors-bracing-for-possible-repeats/

[Bob]

If you have gotten fresh water (not sterilized or sterilized saline) up your nose, be aware of symptoms. In the case of the woman described above, the first sign was a "red nose" appearance, commonly described as rosacea - she was misdiagnosed with that condition. The particular amoeba strain is known as a slow growing version.. Balamuthia mandrillaris is the name.


https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/brain-amoeba-map-W.jpg

This type of amoeba moves more slowly and can take weeks or months to cause death. The other slow-acting amoeba is called Acanthamoeba spp.

Naegleria fowleri is the most documented, Cope said, because it acts quickly, causing an infection that leads to death in just a few days. New Jersey health officials linked a man’s death to N. fowleri in October. He was believed to have gotten infected while surfing in an indoor water park in Texas. N. fowleri is present in Puget Sound waters and other freshwater sources.

[Sunny-side-up]

And there I was worried about sharks in the water 0.o

Thanks for that Bob

[Bob]

I wonder if there have been reports of brain eating amoeba's in UK?
Seems they like fresh warm water. Maybe a thermal spring, a hot-tub?

Q: Is it in any place but the US? Most certainly. Does one neti pot flush using tap water?

Louisiana folks have reported that even taking a shower with contaminated tap water, and getting water up the nasal cavity can allow the amoeba to enter. Shouldn't tap water be certified as safe all the time? One would think so but it's possible contamination can happen.

Karachi: Brain-eating amoeba kills 10 - (Historical) 9 October 2012

Although the amoeba is usually picked up in contaminated pools or lakes, only one of those killed had been swimming.

Officials are therefore concentrating their attention on the possibility that people picked it up when cleaning out their nostrils - a practice which is common in South Asia, BBC regional analyst Jill McGivering says.

The amoeba travels to the brain through the nasal passages.

Those infected have symptoms including fever, nausea and vomiting, as well as a stiff neck and headaches. Most die within a week.

The World Health Authority's Musa Khan says other cities across Pakistan have been put on alert.

An awareness campaign has also been launched among health workers and the public.

Roof-Top water tanks are frequently used for a home's water supply in areas world-wide where there may not be adequate reliable city/town "tap" water.

People are being advised to use boiled or chlorinated water to rinse their noses, and to clean out domestic water tanks where amoeba may flourish.

More places in the world experiencing Amoeba infections? Apparently so.

ref: https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/five-deadly-parasites-have-crossed-globe/ - The parasite has been detected in South America and Asia and cases have also been reported in Australia, US and the UK.

Incidents "N. fowler" the 'fast' killing kind of pathogenic amoeba (List shown as Strain type, and Location:


PAM, Bath, England
NF-3 Thermal spring water, Bath, England
158-44-3 Power station, Nottingham, England
168-44-5 River water, Nottingham, England
KUL PAM, Belgium
NF-59 Czech Republic
HB-1 PAM, USA
6088 PAM, USA
CDC:0487:1 PAM, USA
NF-124 Thermal water, USA
Carter 69 PAM, Australia
CCAP 1518/3 (Morgan) PAM, Australia
CCAP 1518/4 (PA-90) Domestic water supply, Australia
Ng 060 Domestic water supply, Australia
MSM PAM, New Zealand
NHI PAM, New Zealand


Is UK immune to this, no.

[Bob]

If the chlorine level of tap water drops below a certain level, the amoeba survive it just fine..

October 10, 2018 at 4:28 PM CDT - Updated October 11 at 5:31 AM
BOSSIER CITY, LA (KSLA) - Bossier City’s water system has a site that has tested positive for the brain-eating amoeba, the Louisiana health department reports.

Naegleria fowleri DNA was detected in the sample collected on Bluebell Drive in the southern part of the water system, officials said.

Low chlorine levels at that location were cited as the reason, officials said.

The tap water is safe for residents to drink.

People cannot be infected with Naegleria fowleri by drinking water.

But health officials urge consumers to avoid getting water in their noses.

er, safe to drink amoeba infested water, but don't shower? What about little kids who always are getting stuff going "out their noses" from choking while drinking? Seems that the City council needs to take a closer look about allowing an infestation to go out into the city's water supply..

ref: https://www.ksla.com/2018/10/10/brain-eating-amoeba-detected-bossier-city-water/

Here are the recommendations and the suggestions for proper safe WATER:

The CDC recommends taking the following precautions:


DO NOT allow water to go up your nose or sniff water into your nose when bathing, showering, washing your face or swimming in small hard plastic/blow-up pools.
DO NOT jump into or put your head under bathing water (bathtubs, small hard plastic/blow-up pools). Instead, walk or lower yourself in.
DO NOT allow children to play unsupervised with hoses or sprinklers. They might accidentally squirt water up their nose. Avoid slip-n-slides or other activities where it is difficult to prevent water from going up the nose.
DO run bath and shower taps and hoses for 5 minutes before use to flush out the pipes. This is most important the first time you use the tap after the water utility raises the disinfectant level.
DO keep small hard plastic/blow-up pools clean by emptying, scrubbing and drying them after each use.
DO use only boiled and cooled, distilled or sterile water for making sinus rinse solutions for neti pots or performing ritual ablutions.


If you need to manually top off the water in your swimming pool with tap water:


DO NOT top off your pool by submerging the hose in the body of the pool.
DO ensure that the filter is running and top off your pool by adding water directly into the skimmer box. (The hose should not be submerged. Hold the end of the hose in the air at least 2 inches above the flood-level rim of the skimmer box.)
DO keep your swimming pool or hot tub adequately disinfected before and during use. Keep pH levels at 7.2-7.8.
If you are using cyanuric acid-free chlorine in you pool, use 2-10 parts per million.
If you are not using cyanuric acid-free chlorine, keep chlorine levels at 1-3 parts per million.
For hot tubs and spas, keep either free chlorine levels from 2-4 parts per million or free bromine levels from 4-6 parts per million.

[Valerie Villars]

Just curious, but I have well water here. Is that susceptible?

[conk]

I'll risk sounding like a complete dummy here, but what of the blood brain barrier? Surely the nasal pathways aren't like a straight shot to the brain. Where is the protection?

[Flash]

Just curious, but I have well water here. Is that susceptible?

From a friend who got very sick with his infected well water, yes. Afterwards he installed a UV light on his plumming to ensure the water was safe.

He said some leaves had found their way in his well. I remember when I was small, having a well for our house water, and a small snake had found its way in, we found him because the water was starting to smell and taste bad. So we opened the well, and there it was, dead.

Even well water has to be purified.

[Bob]

I'll risk sounding like a complete dummy here, but what of the blood brain barrier? Surely the nasal pathways aren't like a straight shot to the brain. Where is the protection?

The amoeba uses a nerve from the nasal passages straight into the brain.. Viruses also can travel along the nerves..

¤=[Post Update]=¤


Just curious, but I have well water here. Is that susceptible?

Simple enough test at the local Health Department - bring in about a full cup of water from a typical tap (inside).. Clean container, with lid - Health Department does this type of well water testing all the time.

Nasal Nerve - pathway to the brain

The olfactory nerve is sensory in nature and originates on the olfactory mucosa in the upper part of the nasal cavity.

From the olfactory mucosa, the nerve (actually many small nerve fascicles) travels up through the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone to reach the surface of the brain.

Look at the yellow structure in the drawing below - right into the brain from the nasal cavity..


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kaQ5P19FVgk/TUH0_UoMT8I/AAAAAAAAHes/QPIcey3NXww/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/Olfactory_Nerve.JPG

[Pam]

If you have gotten fresh water (not sterilized or sterilized saline) up your nose, be aware of symptoms. In the case of the woman described above, the first sign was a "red nose" appearance, commonly described as rosacea - she was misdiagnosed with that condition. The particular amoeba strain is known as a slow growing version.. Balamuthia mandrillaris is the name.


https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/brain-amoeba-map-W.jpg

This type of amoeba moves more slowly and can take weeks or months to cause death. The other slow-acting amoeba is called Acanthamoeba spp.

Naegleria fowleri is the most documented, Cope said, because it acts quickly, causing an infection that leads to death in just a few days. New Jersey health officials linked a man’s death to N. fowleri in October. He was believed to have gotten infected while surfing in an indoor water park in Texas. N. fowleri is present in Puget Sound waters and other freshwater sources.

This is making me a bit paranoid, as I live on Puget Sound. My dogs and I walk on the beach every morning. Do these Amoeba actually live in salt water as well as fresh water?

[Bob]

And a great question PeterPam :)

The particular brain eating protozoa (amoebas) don't survive in salt water, with a high salt content.

If there is a LOW salt content, such as a run-off from a fresh water pond, entering the ocean, at the entry point, the fresh water amoeba could briefly survive and could very well be viable enough to cause infection.

That happens in Hawaii too - where fresh water during heavy rains pick up a lot of soil, and potentially soil borne amoeba and transfer them into the run-off..

Are there marine protozoa too? Besides the fresh water kinds? Yes

from ref: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artmar01/protoz.html

Some of the free swimming forms of marine protozoa eat algae.. When that blue-green or red tide happens, there will be something there to consume the excess algae. Amoeba types of Protozoa.

If there is a fish or other marine mammal die-off on the beach one is walking on, one could consider a type of toxic algae could be present.. The fresh water amoebas not so likely to be on the beach.

[Hazelfern]

Changed my mind on sharing the post. Carry on Bob.

[Pam]

And a great question PeterPam :)

The particular brain eating protozoa (amoebas) don't survive in salt water, with a high salt content.

If there is a LOW salt content, such as a run-off from a fresh water pond, entering the ocean, at the entry point, the fresh water amoeba could briefly survive and could very well be viable enough to cause infection.

That happens in Hawaii too - where fresh water during heavy rains pick up a lot of soil, and potentially soil borne amoeba and transfer them into the run-off..

Are there marine protozoa too? Besides the fresh water kinds? Yes

from ref: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artmar01/protoz.html

Some of the free swimming forms of marine protozoa eat algae.. When that blue-green or red tide happens, there will be something there to consume the excess algae. Amoeba types of Protozoa.

If there is a fish or other marine mammal die-off on the beach one is walking on, one could consider a type of toxic algae could be present.. The fresh water amoebas not so likely to be on the beach.

Thanks for that great explanation, Bob. I have just renewed my respect for all of our tiny neighbors after my dog got leptospirosis, most likely from sniffing the ground where a carrier urinated..that is a ferocious little spirocete.