Amoeba blamed for swimming death in Florida

[Dark Knight]

ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) - A dangerous amoeba that thrives in warm, freshwater bodies in the heat of summer caused the recent death of a 16-year-old Central Florida girl, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control confirmed on Monday.


Courtney Nash died Saturday, 10 days after she, her brother and four friends went swimming August 3 in the St. Johns River on Florida's east coast, her uncle, Thomas Uzel, said at a news conference.


http://news.yahoo.com/amoeba-blamed-...222005527.html

May she RIP and may the Lord comfort her family. I hope everyone who swims in such areas are extra careful!

[raysgirl1126]

Wow, so sad! RIP little one!

[Beyond Belief]

Oh, this is so sad. RIP little one.

[Nova]

I grew up far further south in Florida, where the water is probably warmer than 80 degrees most of the year, and the rule was "no swimming in fresh water" ever.

I think I see why. What a shame.

[deelytful1]

This happens almost every year! So sad.
We live near silver springs in FL and that's the ONLY water I would let my son swim in besides a pool (in the summer)
My heart goes out to the family. So sudden and unexpected after a day of fun with friends and family....

[Nova]

Originally Posted by deelytful1

This happens almost every year! So sad.
We live near silver springs in FL and that's the ONLY water I would let my son swim in besides a pool (in the summer)
My heart goes out to the family. So sudden and unexpected after a day of fun with friends and family....

I lived briefly in North Florida as well. I assume the springs are safer because the water stays so much colder.

I remember it being a rare thing for the temperature to top 100 in the state, but my aunt in Orlando says they've had numerous days over 100 this summer.

ETA I don't see how you can stop kids from playing and stirring up the bottom while swimming. Your solution--no swimming in fresh water (except for the springs) in the summer--seems the only answer.

[Silkprint]

I have honestly never heard of this in my whole life .
16 years old - how sad
I would never swim in anything but a pool in Florida . I am terrifed of the thought of alligators

[Silkprint]

I posted before how I had never seen this -
so what happens ?
I read this today !
There has been another death from the same thing !
Poor little guy
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ming-lake.html

[Hopeful One]

Looks to be three people now: http://news.yahoo.com/3-die-rare-bra...001505888.html

I had never heard of this before either and it's freaking me out.

[Kat]

Oh my lord. The mother of one of the victims a nine year old boy was on CNN today over the telephone and I didn't hear what all she said but I had walked into the room with a laundry basket and sat down as she was talking

I bawled like a baby listening to her talk about her sons illness and death. That just slayed me. Christian Alexander Strickland . Beautiful child.

I've heard about this before. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/

It *usually* happens when someone is diving or pushing their face under the body of water hard KWIM? That forces the parasite up the nose.
Rare but deadly.

http://www.lake.wateratlas.usf.edu/u...eetAmoebae.pdf

[Kimberlyd125]

The case in Louisiana was due to the man's water in his water heater having the amoeba in it. They said on my local news that is not that unusual.
Ok, great to know.

But they said the reason he was infected with the amoeba is because he put the water directly into his deep sinus area with a Netty Pot (sp???)

So, when he poured the water down his nose, the amoeba reached an area that water would normally never reach.

They said if he had not used the sinus draining pot, he most likely would never have been infected with the amoeba.

(This is going from memory from this morning's news... www.wafb.com most likely)

Very sad.

[Nova]

Originally Posted by Kimberlyd125

The case in Louisiana was due to the man's water in his water heater having the amoeba in it. They said on my local news that is not that unusual.
Ok, great to know.

But they said the reason he was infected with the amoeba is because he put the water directly into his deep sinus area with a Netty Pot (sp???)

So, when he poured the water down his nose, the amoeba reached an area that water would normally never reach.

They said if he had not used the sinus draining pot, he most likely would never have been infected with the amoeba.

(This is going from memory from this morning's news... www.wafb.com most likely)

Very sad.

Those pots aren't some quack cure. Specialists recommend them for people with chronic sinusitis. (Not that you said otherwise, kimberly. I'm just pointing this out for people who don't know.)

[Kimberlyd125]

Originally Posted by Nova

Those pots aren't some quack cure. Specialists recommend them for people with chronic sinusitis. (Not that you said otherwise, kimberly. I'm just pointing this out for people who don't know.)

I know. I've always wanted to try one. I suffer with sinus crud a lot down here in good ole Louisiana.

But I wonder if people should be told to use something else besides tap water now that we know this can happen.

Saline? Bottled water?

I know my local Walgreens sells Netty Pot solution right next to the pots. So, maybe people should be told to use that instead of tap water.

[Nova]

Originally Posted by Kimberlyd125

I know. I've always wanted to try one. I suffer with sinus crud a lot down here in good ole Louisiana.

But I wonder if people should be told to use something else besides tap water now that we know this can happen.

Saline? Bottled water?

I know my local Walgreens sells Netty Pot solution right next to the pots. So, maybe people should be told to use that instead of tap water.

That's probably not a bad idea (and not just because of this particular amoeba). Of course one would have to heat the water. When I had a problem, I just used hot tap water, combined with shampoo, salt and baking soda.

Do you know, is that not enough to kill this amoeba?

(I also used a squeeze bulb rather than a pot, but I don't see how that makes things better if the amoeba is in the water.)

[LadyL]

I've never heard of this either. I'm shocked.

[Kimberlyd125]

Originally Posted by Nova

That's probably not a bad idea (and not just because of this particular amoeba). Of course one would have to heat the water. When I had a problem, I just used hot tap water, combined with shampoo, salt and baking soda.

Do you know, is that not enough to kill this amoeba?

(I also used a squeeze bulb rather than a pot, but I don't see how that makes things better if the amoeba is in the water.)

I have no idea Nova.

Perhaps you should look into the solution made specifically made for the pots.

I'd hate for something to happen to my favorite "sparring partner".

[Kat]

Just off the top of my head but I would imagine you could use a saline solution in a netti pot.

My Husband gets saline solution prescribed to him in order to wash out his nose that way. I think he's washing his sinuses? Not sure. But he uses a bulb.

[Nova]

Originally Posted by Kimberlyd125

I have no idea Nova.

Perhaps you should look into the solution made specifically made for the pots.

I'd hate for something to happen to my favorite "sparring partner".

I'll check it out. But my tap water starts as cold mountain water and then travels miles through the desert before it gets to the treatment plant. I think the amoeba count is probably pretty low.

Still I appreciate the warning and I will check it out.

ETA: never mind. I checked Wiki and we've had at last one fatality in my county. It wasn't from tap water, but from a lake some distance away. Nonetheless, it is apparent that deserts aren't free of this amoeba.

[Kimberlyd125]

Kat, that's kinda what I was thinking. I mean if you can squirt saline up a baby's nose I'm sure it would be fine for a Netty pot.

[Kimberlyd125]

Originally Posted by Nova

I'll check it out. But my tap water starts as cold mountain water and then travels miles through the desert before it gets to the treatment plant. I think the amoeba count is probably pretty low.

But I appreciate the warning and I will check it out.

Ok, but the report on the death in Louisiana said there was no amoeba in the water they tested going into the house. It was just in the water heater.

So I would think anybody with a water heater could have it in theirs.

[Nova]

Originally Posted by Kimberlyd125

Ok, but the report on the death in Louisiana said there was no amoeba in the water they tested going into the house. It was just in the water heater.

So I would think anybody with a water heater could have it in theirs.

That's odd. How would it get into the water heater if it wasn't in the tap water at some time? (This isn't an argument. I don't know the answer.)

Oh, and see the ETA to my post above. I spoke too soon.

The amoeba isn't found in salt water, so solutions with high salt contents may solve the problem, but I can't find a link that discusses artificial mixtures rather than ocean salt water.

[Kat]

In some of the articles it says that the young man's water system in the house showed it had amoeba. So I would wonder if somehow the water system wasn't compromised and then it found it's way into the water heater and the shower head. I read this amoeba can be found in soil too.

I looked up on how to use a netti pot and it says to use saline in it. I saw the health, indian and yoga sites suggested to use boiled water or bottled or distilled water (mayoclinic says this) which you know I would never had thought of it on my own but that makes sense. But as usual there is a plethora of DIY websites that say just use tap water (reinforces that saying "don't believe everything you read on the internet" LOL)

I knew a young lady who would make her own contact saline solution back in the late 70's because she was allergic to the preservatives in store bought solution and it wasn't made without it back then. She said that the tap water wouldn't do because of the chemicals and such, but thinking on it---there really could be anything in tap water---heavy minerals, certain bacteria that are acceptable at lower levels that are found but the water is still considered safe for consumption.

So thinking about it drinking and cooking with water is entirely different than putting it directly in your body where it can enter your bloodstream. (through the eyes, sinuses).

Interesting. I would have never thought of that. JMHO

[Quiche]

What a horrible thing-- my heart goes out to all involved. Makes me think back to all the ponds and creeks I swam in growing up... scary to think about those rope swings in this context!