‘Brain-eating microbe’ is found in U.S. water supply

A “brain-eating amoeba” has been found in the water supply of Texas, the United States. Infections are rare, but they are fatal.

CNN reported on Saturday that “naegleria fowleri”, which is also known as a brain-eating amoeba, was found in a southeast Texas water supply, which led to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issuing an advisory to residents. Some 27,000 residents of Lake Jackson were told not to use the water supply, and Mayor Bob Sipple said the advisory will not be lifted until the water system is flushed out and tests are carried out to ensure the water was safe to use.

The brain-eating amoeba is mostly found in warm lakes, rivers, soil and hot springs. The initial symptoms include similar symptoms to the common cold such as headache, fever and vomiting. Later symptoms include paralysis from a brain damage, loss of balance and hallucinations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 141 out of the 145 patients who were infected died between 1962 and 2018, which translates into a fatality rate of about 97 percent.


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