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Tuesday saw a spike in searches for ‘brain-eating amoeba’ and ‘Naegleria fowleri’ after South Korea disclosed its first case of the infection. After returning from a trip to Thailand, a 50-year-old man in South Korea passed away, according to the authorities. He had contracted Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that typically results in severe brain infections. This is the first ever known infection of the disease in the country, which was reported in the United States in 1937.
A free-living amoeba or a single-celled living organism called Naegleria fowleri is a species that is typically found in soil and warm fresh water (such lakes, rivers, and hot springs). When amoebic water enters the nose during swimming, it typically results in this condition. In most cases, the infections are lethal. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that just three people in the nation can contract this disease annually.
As per research, When the amoeba enters the body, It takes around 2 to 15 days for symptoms to enter. And death usually occurs 3 to 7 days after signs appear.
In one of the few instances where patients have survived, doctors use a combination of medications that are thought to have some effect on Naegleria fowleri. Since the first death in South Korea, authorities have advised against swimming in areas where the infection has broken out.
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