A young woman from Bishop, California has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba. The woman died about five days after first showing signs of the infection, which doctors at first thought was meningitis. Dr. Jennifer Cope with the CDC says infection from the amoeba naegleria fowleri has similar symptoms. She says infection occurs when swimming in warm, fresh water and the amoeba enters the body through the nose: “And the nose has a proximity to the brain so the amoeba goes up into the naval cavity and then crosses into the brain.” Poorly-maintained pools can also breed the amoeba. Symptoms include headache and vomiting. She says you can still swim in a warm, fresh water lake, but use nose clips or don’t put your head under the water.
Jim Roope, Westwood One/KABC Radio Los Angeles.
