Naegleria fowleri

phylum

percolozoa

genus

naegleria

species

fowleri

distribution

worldwide, mostly in warmer areas

route of transmission (life cycle step 1)

contaminated water entering nose

step 2

trophozoite invade nasal mucosa

step 3

trophozoites migrate to brain via olfactory nerves

step 4

cycle between cyst, trophozoite, flagellated nonfeeding form

step 5

trophozoites asexually reproduce via promitosis

incubation period

1-12 days

death in 1-18 days

main symptom

amebic meningoencephalitis

stage 1 symptoms

frontal headache

fever

nausea

vomiting

stage 2 symptoms

similar to bacterial meningitis

stiff neck

seizures

hallucinations

coma

death

treatment

early detection important

multiple drugs based on what saved 4 others

kill free-living amebae

therapeutic hypothermia

antigen serology

nucleic acid PCR

prevention

don’t use tap water for neti pot

don’t allow water to go up nose when swimming