Person dies after brain-eating amoeba infection

An individual in southwest Florida has died after being contaminated with a particularly uncommon brain-eating amoeba, well being officers mentioned.

The Florida Division of Well being in Charlotte County confirmed the loss of life Thursday. The company had beforehand issued an alert final month, warning residents in regards to the Naegleria fowleri an infection.

“I can verify the an infection sadly resulted in a loss of life, and any extra info on this case is confidential to guard affected person privateness,” Florida Division of Well being spokesman Jae Williams mentioned in an e mail.

Well being officers mentioned final month that the an infection might need been attributable to sinus rinse practices utilizing faucet water, however an investigation is ongoing. Sinus options needs to be made utilizing solely distilled or sterile water. Faucet water needs to be boiled for no less than one minute and cooled earlier than sinus rinsing.

“An infection with Naegleria fowleri is uncommon and might solely occur when water contaminated with amoebae enters the physique by means of the nostril,” Williams mentioned. “You can’t be contaminated by consuming faucet water.”

Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism that lives in soil and heat recent water, comparable to lakes, rivers and scorching springs, based on the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. It could trigger a mind an infection when water containing the amoeba goes up the nostril. Solely about three folks in the US get contaminated annually, however these infections are normally deadly.

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