Brain-eating amoeba in city's water

[Hum]

Louisiana officials have cautioned residents to be careful after a deadly brain-eating amoeba was found in a parish water supply.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced that the Naegleria fowleri amoeba was found in the water system of St. John the Baptist Parish.

The microscopic amoeba can be deadly if contaminated water travels through the nose to the brain. The microscopic pathogen can cause a deadly form of meningitis that or a swelling of the brain and surrounding tissues.

The amoeba cannot be contracted from drinking contaminated water, officials said.

The water system where the amoeba was found serves 12,577 people in three Louisiana towns.

 While the source of the contamination was not found, officials said that they found the water supply did not have the required level of chlorine disinfectant and was vulnerable to contamination from Naegleria fowleri.

There have been no reports of infections from the amoeba in the area.

To kill the dangerous pathogens the department will flush the system with extra high levels of the chlorine for sixty days to kill any lingering amoebas in the system. The water will still be safe to drink.

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[siah1214]

This is not uncommon for that part of the world.  The only danger is if you use it in a neti-pot or otherwise force it up your nose.  ALWAYS boil water before you put it up your nose.  The HCl in your stomach kills it so if you swallow it, it's not a problem.  If it does get up your nose, it's a 99% mortality rate, there's really nothing they can do.  

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

The amoeba cannot be contracted from drinking contaminated water, officials said.

 

 

so how do you get it?  injections?

This is not uncommon for that part of the world.  The only danger is if you use it in a neti-pot or otherwise force it up your nose.  ALWAYS boil water before you put it up your nose.  The HCl in your stomach kills it so if you swallow it, it's not a problem.  If it does get up your nose, it's a 99% mortality rate, there's really nothing they can do.  

 

ok, never mind..  i understand now.

[DocM]

Also, use a nose plug and goggles when swimming. That or a divers mask that covers the nose.

[macoman]

Rivers, pools and Lakes is not my thing, too much contamination in these waters. I am only like the beaches.

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

Rivers, pools and Lakes is not my thing, too much contamination in these waters. I am only like the beaches.

 

i like dem beatches too ;)

 

 

seriously though... 

 

lakes and rivers are amazing..   i would hate to live in a world where i can't take a swim anywhere else, other then chlorinated pools.  I HATE CHLORINE!

[macoman]

i like dem beatches too ;)

lol

[DocM]

Rivers, pools and Lakes is not my thing, too much contamination in these waters. I am only like the beaches.

And on beaches, lake or ocean, you can encounter toxic algae blooms. At ocean beaches you add the risks of sharks, jellyfish and Conus snails, some of which have venom that'll kill you dead as Caesar before help can arrive.

Have a nice swim ;)

[spenser.d]

And on beaches, lake or ocean, you can encounter toxic algae blooms. At ocean beaches you add the risks of sharks, jellyfish and Conus snails, some of which have venom that'll kill you dead as Caesar before help can arrive.

Have a nice swim ;)

Just a shot in the dark but I feel that your chance of getting killed by any of that at any given beach is less than your chance of dying in a car accident on the way to said beach. Just sayin ;)

[DocM]

Algae blooms are not rare, as with the ones popping up around coastal agricultural areas and river outlets (fed by fertilizer runoff.)

Conus stings are rare, but I can guarantee you jellyfish stings are not. Been there. Shark bites are rare, 70-100 a year, but non-zero.

My point was his apparent complacency about contamination in coastal swims.

[FloatingFatMan]

This is not uncommon for that part of the world.  The only danger is if you use it in a neti-pot or otherwise force it up your nose.  ALWAYS boil water before you put it up your nose.  The HCl in your stomach kills it so if you swallow it, it's not a problem.  If it does get up your nose, it's a 99% mortality rate, there's really nothing they can do.  

 

What about showers?  When I'm in the shower, and washing my hair, I tend to tip my head backwards under the stream of water...

 

I predict a bunch of stinky people in that town! :p

[123456789A]

And on beaches, lake or ocean, you can encounter toxic algae blooms. At ocean beaches you add the risks of sharks, jellyfish and Conus snails, some of which have venom that'll kill you dead as Caesar before help can arrive.

Have a nice swim ;)

 

Don't forget recent phenomena like sharknados, making it even more dangerous to live near ocean beaches.

[macoman]

And on beaches, lake or ocean, you can encounter toxic algae blooms. At ocean beaches you add the risks of sharks, jellyfish and Conus snails, some of which have venom that'll kill you dead as Caesar before help can arrive.

Have a nice swim ;)

You know what, in all my years going to the beach, never ever have any issue with animals, toxic algae or whatever you mentioned. I will keep my blue ocean water and you can enjoy your river and lakes.

[Hum]

I'm gonna git me a big glass of that water now. :p

[DocM]

You know what, in all my years going to the beach, never ever have any issue with animals, toxic algae or whatever you mentioned. I will keep my blue ocean water and you can enjoy your river and lakes.

My encounters with jellyfish were oceanside. As for dinoflagellate blooms, don't eat the fish after ;)