Fatal Brain infecting Amoeba found in Florida

Since 1962, there were only 37 reported cases of infection with this amoeba in Florida. The DOH cautions people who swim and dive in the Florida's fresh water lakes, ponds, and rivers of the possible presence of the amoeba in Florida. The symptoms of infection after swimming in freshwater or warm body water are headache, fever, disorientation, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, loss of balance, hallucinations. Health care officials have advised to seek medical care as soon as these symptoms appear. As the disease progresses very rapidly after the first infection.

Health care officials have also given few guidelines to follow to avoid the infection. They are:

• Avoid water related activities in bodies of fresh water, hot springs, and thermally polluted water such as around power plants.

• Avoid water activities in periods of high temperatures and low water levels.

• Hold the nose shut or use nose clips when taking part in water related activities.

• Avoid digging in or stirring the sediment while taking part in water related activities.

• Exposure to amoeba can also occur when using neti pots to rinse the sinuses or conducting religious rituals with tap water. Use only boiled, cooled, distilled or sterile water for sinuses or religious rituals.