Jennifer Zieba earned her PhD in human genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is currently a project scientist in the orthopedic surgery department at UCLA where she works on identifying mutations and possible treatments for rare genetic musculoskeletal disorders.
2023 was the hottest summer in the past 2,000 years, and summer 2024 is looking to be just as intense. As summer peaks, freshwater lakes and pools all over the United States will likely be filled with people trying to cool off. But as the temperatures of these freshwater environments rise, the organisms that live in them can shift, posing harmful, or even lethal, threats to swimmers.
What's harrowing about this tiny organism is that it can enter the brain via nerves in the nose and then decimate brain cells. This rare infection can lead to a fatal condition called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis , which is why N. fowleri is commonly known as a"brain eating amoeba."N. fowleri infections that lead to PAM are relatively rare in the U.S., averaging about zero to eight laboratory-confirmed cases per year. Although all incidents of PAM are caused by an N.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Historically, diagnosed N. fowleri infections have been concentrated in warmer, Southern states. In recent years, however, the amoeba has been detected — and even caused infections — farther north, including in Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. The reason behind this is climate change.
According to Stahl, the amoeba can survive at a range of temperatures and acidity levels. It can grow in temperatures up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit but has also been known to proliferate in temperatures as low as 80 F . "You could have less dissolved oxygen … more blooms of different things … maybe a greater proliferation of bacteria," Stahl added."And if there's a greater amount of prey sources in the water, maybe that would allow the N. fowleri to eat more or be happier."
"We're seeing it creeping up to states further and further north all the time," Gerba said."Somebody in Minnesota or Michigan doesn't even consider that as a potential case of infection when they see it, so that's probably how they're being missed."
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