Naegleria Fowlerimicroscopic parasitic present in certain stagnant or poorly treated waters, can cause lightning inflammation of the brain. Here’s how to protect yourself, according to our emergency doctor Gérald Kierzek.
A microscopic organism was in the water of the motorhome
According to the publication of the health authorities, this 71-year-old woman, would have used tap water from the system of a motorhome to carry out this nasal irrigation, thus exposing her organization to a formidable amoeba: Naegleria Fowleri. She died without possible treatment 8 days after the first symptoms.
Naegleria Fowleri is a unicellular amibeur naturally present in hot fresh waters, such as lakes, rivers or stagnant water systems. But it was also identified in poorly treated tap water. Unfortunately, this parasite causes a lightning infection of the brain
“It is a protozoan at the origin of the primitive amibian meningecephalitis (meap) (…) This meap results from the invasion of the brain by N. Fowleri, which causes a serious and lightning inflammation by reaction of the immune system”explained Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of True Medical in a recent article.
Rare infection, but almost always fatal
The infection is triggered when contaminated water penetrates through the nose, allowing the amibe to go up the olfactory nerve to the brain. Symptoms generally appear between one and nine days after exposure: violent headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and stiff neck. Very quickly, severe neurological disorders such as hallucinations, convulsions or a coma also settle.
In the latter case, the patient began to present serious neurological disorders four days after exposure. Despite the care, she died eight days after the first symptoms. CDC analyzes have confirmed the presence of the amoeba in its brain and its cerebrospinal fluid.
“The clinical picture evolves at an alarming speed. In a few days, the patient’s condition deteriorates until death. And the disease is fatal in more than 90 % of cases”confirms Dr. Kierzek.
Isolated, but not exceptional cases
Do you think this extremely rare case? This is not necessarily the case. Between 1962 and 2021, 154 people were infected in the United States and only 4 patients were survived. Each year, around three cases are identified in the country, especially during the summer months. Texas is also among the most concerned states, with 39 cases recorded, out of 160 in total in the country.
This drama is added to other similar cases: in 2023, a man died in Florida after having also rinsed the sinuses with tap water. In 2020, a six -year -old child died in Texas after playing in a paddling pool.
Prevention: Good reflexes to adopt
Faced with this risk, health authorities and experts call for vigilance, in particular when using nasal irrigation devices.
As a precaution, it is therefore recommended:
- Never use non -sterilized tap water to rinse the sinuses;
- To boil the water for at least a minute, then let it cool before use;
- Avoid swimming in stagnant eaters in summer;
- Wear a funeral pliers when swimming in fresh water or keep your head out of the water.
In France, only one fatal case was identified in 2008 in Guadeloupe, after a bath in geothermal water. If these infections remain rare, their outcome is most often fatal. Only extremely early detection could offer a chance of survival.