Aerobic Naegleria

Naegleria aerobia - also known as Naegleria fowleri - is a species of free-living amoeba found in freshwater bodies. This microorganism can cause a rare but very dangerous disease - primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.

N. aerobia is found in warm freshwater sources such as lakes, rivers, and hot springs. If it enters a person's nose through contaminated water, the amoeba can migrate to the brain and cause destruction of brain tissue.

The infection manifests as severe meningitis or meningoencephalitis. Symptoms include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and loss of smell. The disease progresses very quickly and often leads to death within a few days of symptoms appearing.

This disease is rare but has a high mortality rate of about 95% without treatment. Diagnosis is based on the detection of amoebas in the cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment includes a combination of antifungal drugs, but the outcome is often poor due to the rapid progression of the disease. Prevention consists of avoiding swimming in questionable bodies of water.