Arkansas officials say person dies after brain-eating amoeba infection, likely exposed at splash pad
Arkansas officials say person dies after brain-eating amoeba infection, likely exposed at splash pad
An Arkansas resident has died after being infected with an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba. The Department of Health on Thursday announced the death from the Naegleria fowleri infection, a rare infection which destroys brain tissue, causing brain swelling and in certain cases, death.
Dang that stuff should only be in natural fresh water spots, how badly maintained was that splash pad to be infected with this?
It can also survive in hot water heaters, it's why you should always use distilled water (or boiled water) for shit like neti pots, since the only attack surfaces that N.fowlri has is in the upper sinuses.
In reality, though, this shit is exceedlying rare, particularly in cold climates. Even in the south, it is extremely rare.
Here's a good video on it if you are interested. Once again, it is very rare, like, less than 100 people get it in a year in the US.
The article says that it can be found in inadequately chlorinated pools, too.
Arkansas? Brain eating amoeba? How would you even know???
"They're the same picture" 🤭
Shouldn't a splash pad use chlorinated water? That's always been my assumption.
It’s Arkansas. Brain-eating bacteria are endangered species there.
Someone's about to own a chunk of a country club for negligence. Unfortunately it's an Arkansas country club. I'd bet this was a child that died.
Edit: 16 month old boy https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/sep/14/fatality-from-brain-eating-amoeba-confirmed-in-arkansas/
Splash pad for non-Americans.
Also for Americans. I had no idea what a splash pad was.
Ah thanks. Sounded like some sort of sanitary towel
I had never heard this term as a 52yo yank with older children but this is exactly what I thought it was honestly. So good job naming it Brits 😀
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It's rare, but it can sometimes happen when you get water up your nose. This is one reasons why you should use boiled water or distilled water if using one of those nasal cleansers
As mentioned, it’s rare. You played the odds every time you jumped in, and didn’t win the amoeba lottery. It’s a lousy lottery to win. I swam in my share of lakes and rivers and survived, too.
This is why I pretty much never jump into water - the force of it shoots the amoebas up your nose. Definitely avoid (forcefully) dunking your head in warm water.😬
It is exceedlying rare. You are more likely to die in a car accident or even a train accident, lol. If you are worried, just get a nose clip. The only attack surface they have is in the upper nose. You can (and probably have) been drinking water with N. Fowlri in it with no problem since you were little.
You're literally exponentially more likely to die driving to the water than from brain-eating amoeba in the water.
