An Arizona resident has identified a suspected case of Naegleria fowleri, also known as the brain-eating amoeba.
The state and Mohave County health departments told DailyMail.com that the cause of the illness has not been confirmed and declined to provide the person’s gender and current health status.
Only four Americans diagnosed with the devastating infection survived history. The amoeba, which lives in fresh water, usually kills 97 percent of its victims.
If confirmed to be a rare and serious infection, it would be the 30th recorded in the United States since 2013.
The Arizona Department of Health Services on Tuesday sent samples believed to be from fresh water where people often swim for fun to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expecting to learn for sure that the cause of the infection is indeed the brain-eating amoeba end of the week
N. fowleri is a brain-eating amoeba that causes sudden, severe symptoms and often leads to brain damage and death
Dr. Eugene Livar, deputy director of public health preparedness for the Arizona Department of Health Services, told DailyMail.com, “Mohave County Public Health officials and the Arizona Department of Health Services are working together on a suspected case of Naegleria Fowleri.”
“Investigation into possible exposures and exposure locations is ongoing.”
Details about the case are scarce. For example, the authorities are not disclosing whether the person, whose gender is unknown, is currently in the hospital or has died, which is very common with these infections.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
