Deadly Brain-Eating Amoeba With 97% Fatality Found in Texas River as Temperatures Rise

The rising temperatures, according to the Brazos River Authority, contribute to an increased risk of Naegleria fowleri, a deadly microbe that can be found in freshwater, pools, and springs.

The infection starts when the microbe enters the body through the nose, usually while swimming or diving. The brain-eating amoeba can then travel up the nose and reach the brain, where it destroys tissue.

Rare but Fatal

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infections are rare with only 33 people infected in the US from 2011 to 2020. Infections, on the other hand, have a high fatality rate of more than 97 percent, meaning that almost everyone infected with the amoeba dies.

The Brazos River Authority said last week that people who live in hot states like Texas should assume that getting into any warm freshwater body poses a risk. The river authority added that knowing about the deadly microbe does not automatically mean people should be afraid of visiting their favorite water spots like the Brazos River or the Possum Kingdom Lake.

Safety Measures

The river authority suggests that people should be wearing nose clips or holding their noses when getting in the water, and avoid submerging one's head in the water. Other safety measures, as cited by CDC and Texas Health and Human Services, include avoiding stirring up underwater sediment while swimming, since the microbe can be found in soil.

The experts have also warned against water activities in warm freshwater where the water level is low or in stagnant water. Taking "No Swimming" signs seriously is also a way for people to avoid infection.

Triple-Digit Threat

Bill Sullivan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Indiana University School of Medicine explains that deep inhalation up the nose allows the microscopic organism to travel to the brain. Once it reaches the brain, it begins to feed, triggering a powerful immune response that results in dangerous brain swelling, as well as severe headaches and nausea.

Sullivan goes on to say that as the brain swells, it interferes with communication with the spinal cord, preventing signals from reaching the lungs and heart. In about five to seven days, the infection kills 97% of those infected.

The professor stated that, while infections are very rare, there is growing concern that the brain-eating amoeba may become more common in other locations in the northern states as the temperature of bodies of water rises due to climate change. The naturally occuring brain-eating amoeba can be found in nearly every country on the planet.

Cases have been linked to waterparks, public fountains, and tap water on rare occasions. While tap water does not cause infection, it has been linked to several cases of brain-eating amoeba when used in nasal-flushing neti pots.

In recent days, Texas has been receiving triple-digit temperatures. As residents turn on air conditioners to stay cool during the heat wave, power demand in the state has reached new highs, Newsweek reports.