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Científicos en alerta por una ameba devoradora de cerebros cada vez más frecuente en el agua

Una nueva preocupación hace que los científicos envíen un mensaje. Una ameba o microorganismo unicelular provoca el temor después de conocer su […]

Científicos en alerta por una ameba devoradora de cerebros cada vez más frecuente en el agua

TL;DR

  • Naegleria fowleri, known as the 'brain-eating amoeba,' is a single-celled microorganism that can cause severe brain infections.
  • It is a free-living amoeba found independently in water, soil, and humid environments.
  • Infection occurs when contaminated water enters the nose, typically during activities like swimming or diving in freshwater or poorly chlorinated spas.
  • The amoeba travels through the olfactory nerve to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
  • Symptoms include intense headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures, appearing within nine days of exposure.
  • The disease progresses rapidly and is often fatal.
  • Other amoebas like Acanthamoeba spp. and Balamuthia mandrillaris can also cause serious health issues, including eye infections and encephalitis.