United States: Experts are worried that a microbe that rarely but sometimes finds its way into human brains is moving out of its normal range in the south toward the north. Once in the brain, the amoeba destroys brain tissue and causes swelling and inflammation.
The scientists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned that a deadly brain-eating amoeba is slowly spreading across the United States. The single-cell amoeba, called naegleria fowleri, is usually found in warm freshwater like rivers, ponds, lakes and springs. It is typically found in the more humid states such as Florida.
The amoeba prefers warm temperatures up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why experts think that its spread north may be linked to climate change. The study found that, according to their estimates, there were increases in air temperature the two weeks before exposure and that coinciding with increased recreational activity in water may be affecting how the amoeba spreads, as well as the increase in PAM cases.
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