Northlanders Shouldn’t Fear “Brain Eating Amoeba”

Naegleria Fowleri Infect Around Three Americans Each Year

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Since 2010, there have been three deaths in Minnesota caused by the “brain eating amoeba.”

Although it is extremely rare, the death of an Alexandria boy, last week, has some Minnesotans worried about going into the water.

The “brain eating amoeba” is actually Naegleria fowleri, a single celled organism found commonly in warm bodies of fresh water, specifically with sedimentary bottoms. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Naegleria fowleri is the only Naegleria that infects humans. 

In the uncommon cases that Naegleria does infect humans, it enters the body through the nose, and attacks brain tissue.

This causes a condition known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis or PAM.

Since 1965, there have only been 135 documented cases of PAM in the United States, and all but one of those cases has been fatal.

Naegleria typically live on bacteria living in the sediment of lake and river bottoms.

While Naegleria thrives in warm water the parasite can survive for long periods of time in the sediment, even at lower temperatures.

Prior to 2010, there had been no documented cases of PAM in The Land of 10,000 Lakes, but there have been three in the last five years.