Brain-Eating Amoeba Issues - Essay Example

Brain-eating Amoeba Brain-eating amoeba is a living organism that exists in single cellular form. The scientific name of the brain-eating amoeba is the Naegleria fowleri. The brain-eating amoeba in most cases finds suitable thriving conditions in soil and warm water, especially in rivers, hot springs and lakes. The first identification of the brain-eating amoeba occurred in Australia. However, researchers believe that Naegleria fowleri evolved in the United States of America (Cajigal, 8). Most cases of infection occur when individuals are involved in activities such as diving or swimming in places with fresh, warm water. On rare occasions, individuals contract the brain-eating amoeba because of contaminated water in swimming pools or from taps. It has the ability to cause Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, which is a devastating and rare brain infection. The brain-eating amoeba enters the body through the nose. The amoeba then gradually moves to the brain. While in the brain, the amoeba actively destroys tissues. However, drinking water that has Naegleria cannot lead to the infection of a person. Where Naegleria fowleri is found Naegleria fowleri exists everywhere in the world, as long as the environmental conditions are suitable for its existence and survival. Aside from existing in fresh warm water bodies, brain-eating amoeba exists in geothermal water, warm water that manufacturing and processing plants discharge, soil, poorly maintained swimming pools and water heaters. Both non-chlorinated and poorly chlorinated swimming pools provide suitable breeding places for Naegleria fowleri (Cajigal, 9). In addition to that, the Naegleria fowleri exist in aquariums and mud puddles. The Naegleria fowleri thrives at higher temperatures rising to 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit). This amoeba can survive for a shorter while in temperatures beyond the above mentioned. The brain-eating amoeba is absent in salt water. In the United States, the amoeba mostly affects people living in Southwestern and southern states (Animal Planet, n.p). How infection occurs Naegleria fowleri enters the human body through the nose during activities such as water-skiing, diving or other water sports that increase the probability of water getting into the nose (Pond, 171). Other instances recorded to have caused infections include people dipping their heads in geothermal water, commonly known as hot springs, or people cleaning their nostrils using untreated water flowing from the taps. Once the Naegleria fowleri enters the body through the nostrils, chemicals used in communication by nerve cells pull them. The brain-eating amoeba moves from the nostrils to the brain via the olfactory nerve. The olfactory nerve is associated with the human sense of smell. Once in the brain, the Naegleria fowleri settles in the frontal lobe. Amoeba feed on bacteria. However, the brain is accidental food for the amoeba (Animal Planet, n.p). The amoeba has a two-pronged attack: first, the Naegleria fowleri attacks the host cells using Pseudopods. The amoeba then digs into the cell wall. When the cell contents leak out, the amoeba feeds on them. Researchers have observed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in other organs other than the brain. From studies conducted on victims of the infection, the brain-eating amoeba was present in sections of the spleen, kidney, lung, thyroid and heart tissues. This amoeba is on record to have infected animals like cattle (CDC, n.p). Symptoms and Illness The brain-eating amoeba causes PAM, a disease in the human central nervous system when it enters the brain. PAM is nearly always fatal (CDN, 17). In the United States, only three individuals of the 132 infected from 1962 to date have survived Naegleria fowleri infection (Cajigal, 8). It is difficult to diagnose an infection due to clinically similar symptoms with bacterial meningitis. Further, detection of an infection is difficult because the amoeba damages brain cells rapidly, such that diagnosis of the disease in the infected individual may only be possible after death. In most cases, most infected people succumb to the infection between 1-12 days after they begin seeing the symptoms associated with Naegleria fowleri infection. The symptoms of a Naegleria fowleri infection begin to show between the first day and the seventh day after the amoeba settles in the brain. However, the average time taken for the symptoms to start showing is five days (Pond, 174). The signs and symptoms of a Naegleria fowleri infection manifest themselves in various stages. The first stage sees the victim display symptoms such as nausea, fever, vomiting and severe headache in the front part of the head. In the second stage, the infected person undergoes seizures, hallucinations and an altered mental status. In addition to that, the infected person may have a stiff neck and may go into a coma as the amoeba continues to feed on the brain (CDC, n.p). Life Cycle and the disease-causing Pathogen The life cycle of the brain-eating amoeba has three stages. The first stage is the ameboid trophozoites stage. This stage is the infective stage, when the amoeba replicates in the brain. The trophozoites in the brain-eating amoeba replicate through a process called binary division. During binary division of the brain-eating amoeba, the nuclear membrane does not get affected (CDC, n.p). This makes the Naegleria fowleri able to resist the white blood cells that may try to protect the brain from further damage. The nuclear membrane undergoes a process known as promitosis to stay intact. The trophozites begin infection upon entry into the body through penetration of the nasal tissue. It goes on to cause PAM in the brain. Trophozoites have a singular nucleus and have a granular appearance. The other stages in the life cycle of the Naegleria fowleri are the flagellate stage and the cysts stage. These stages form the diagnostic stages of the infection, where the symptoms begin to show in the infected person (CDC, n.p). There may be changes in the environment that may affect the development of the Naegleria fowleri in the brain. One occurrence that may cause such change is the reduction in the source of food for the amoeba. When the source of food reduces, trophozoites turn to non-feeding, temporary flagellated stage. In this condition, the Naegleria fowleri stops spreading to other brain tissues. However, they may return to the trophozoite form the moment the conditions become favorable again (Pond, 175). The flagellate or amoeba forms a cyst when the conditions in the brain do not support growth and feeding. Cysts, by nature, have a hard nucleus to resist changes in the environment. This increases the chances that the Naegleria fowleri will survive harsh conditions until the environment becomes more conducive for feeding and growth. Cysts are however not visible in the brain tissues (Animal Planet, n.p). Risk of Infection There is no data providing evidence of risk in infection. However, from the numerous people (sometimes running into hundreds of millions) who visit swimming venues annually, there are only between 0-8 infections every year. This indicates that PAM is a considerably rare disease. These low figures make it very difficult for researchers to undertake epidemiologic studies into PAM. Therefore, it is not clear why some people get infected while others do not get infected, despite exposure to the same conditions when people visit swimming venues. Scientists have also not been able to determine the level of concentration of the brain-eating amoeba that would warrant classification as an unacceptable risk posed in the environment. As the situation stands, there is no particular method of calculating the amount of amebae in water. This complicates the setting of standards that protect human health. Public health officials also do not have a set base of rules to enforce any standard that may exist concerning Naegleria fowleri(Pond, 175) . Diagnosis Diagnosis of Naegleria fowleri is possible from laboratory tests through detecting. The places where the brain-eating amoeba organisms, nucleic acid and antigen can be located are in the cerebrospinal fluid, tissue specimens or biopsy. Among the test methods used in diagnosis include antigen detection, direct visualization, amoeba culture, environmental detection and polymerase chain reaction (CDC, n.p). Treatment The CDC has undertaken constant research on Naegleria fowleri and how to treat it (CDN, 17). The Centre has recorded considerable success, developing an investigational drug. This investigational drug is called Miltefosine, and it is available for the treatment of infections caused by free-living amoeba such as Naegleria fowleri (CDC, n.p). Prevention Prevention of infection is possible through practice of simple measures such as educating the public about the Naegleria fowleri and PAM. This will create awareness in people who visit swimming venues, so that they can avoid places where the amoeba may exist (CDN, 17). Secondly, swimming and water activity enthusiasts could wear nose plugs when diving or skiing. This reduces the risk of water getting int the nostrils, thus reducing the probability of infections from Naegleria fowleri (Animal Planet, n.p). Works Cited "CDC Frees Up Drug That Fights Brain-Eating Amoeba; 2 U.S. Children Have Recently Been Infected and Made Severely Ill with Amoeba Found in Freshwater." Consumer Health News [New York] 22 Aug. 2013: 17. Print. Cajigal, Stephanie. "Brain-Eating Amoeba Fatalities Spike to Six." Neurology Today 7.21 (2007): 8-9. Print. "Monsters Inside Me: The Brain-Eating Amoeba : Video : Animal Planet." Animal Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. . "Naegleria fowleri." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 May 2014. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. . Pond, Kathy. Water recreation and disease plausibility of associated infections : acute effects, sequelae, and mortality. London: Published on behalf of the World Health Organization by IWA Pub., 2005. Print. Read More