The diversity of living organisms on planet Earth can be baffling to the common man, from creatures as large as whales or elephants to single-celled organisms like an amoeba, which is not even visible to the naked eye. However, despite being so tiny, some of these organisms can be a threat to human life, and one of them is the brain-eating amoeba. This organism has been in the news recently after causing death in South Korea.
In South Korea, a brain-eating amoeba entered the body of a 50-year-old healthy man, which lead to his death within 10 days. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the patient had returned from a trip to Thailand on December 10. Only then did he begin to show symptoms of infection, and within the following 10 days, the microorganism claimed his life.
The patient was rushed to the hospital after he showed signs of infection, including headache, vomiting, bodily stiffness, and difficulties speaking, as per reports. What exactly did the organism do to his body that caused the patient to pass away is currently being investigated.
After this incident, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued an advisory. A single-celled microorganism called Naegleria fowleri is also referred to as the brain-eating amoeba. This bacterium can be found in rivers, lakes, and ponds that have pure water.
An instance of this amoeba was discovered for the first time in 1965. It enters the human body through the nose, travels to the brain and begins to infect it. Swimming or bathing in contaminated water may cause Naegleria fowleri to enter your body, primarily through the nose.
According to CDS, death occurs within 5 days in case of severe infection, otherwise, it takes 10 days. 154 similar cases were reported in America from 1962 to 2021, out of which only 4 patients survived.
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