By: Erin Moore for Body1A brain-eating amoeba has taken the lives of six men and boys this year, the Associated Press reports. Although experts say encounters with this microscopic creature, called Naegleria fowleri, are extremely rare, it is worth taking note as a precaution. Mostly found in warm, still waters, the amoeba often infects people in a situation where water shoots up the nose – during a somersault, for example – and then destroys tissue as it makes its way to the brain. Symptoms include headache, stiff neck, and fever; and later, hallucinations and brain damage that lead to death.
No treatment currently exists, and Naegleria fowleri is usually fatal within two weeks. The six cases this year were in Arizona, Florida, and Texas. Officials say the best way to prevent infection is to use nose plugs when swimming or diving in lakes – water would have to go way up into your nose to cause a problem.
Read more about Naegleria fowleri.
Activities like swimming are a good way to keep fit and go easy on your joints, as the water’s resistance cushions the body.
