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The Effect of Brain-Eating Amoeba in Texas- What is it, and How can we help?

Texas has been experiencing issues these past few months with the discovery of brain-eating amoeba in their water. The amoeba had already killed a young 6-year-old boy, and it was ready to affect many others. As CNN wrote about the event, “‘Toby Baker, executive director of Texas Commission for Environmental Quality, said employees of his department have been ‘working 24 hours a day to try and remedy the problem that is going on with the drinking water situation."’ Those currently residing in Texas have been told not to use any water until officials look into the amoeba in the water, or to be extra precautionary.



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Naegleria fowleri

©Getty Images


What is the amoeba?

Also known as Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba is a lethal single-celled organism recently discovered in Texas’ water sources. Originally identified in Lake Jackson, Texas. The amoeba thrives in warm freshwater, as it is a thermophilic organism, and enters the body through the nose. From there, it makes its way to the brain and can cause Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, also known as PAM. This is lethal, and the cause of the death of Josiah Mcintyre. It has additionally been identified that swallowing water with Naegleria fowleri cannot give you the infection. It is also not shown to enter through water vapor, like mists, or in aerosol droplets. The CDC writes that the infections are rare but that “they occur mainly during the summer months of July, August, and September.” It being October now, we are on the cusp, and hopefully are at lower risk, but it is always worth being precautionary.

Although PAM the infection that comes from Naegleria fowleri is extremely rare, “There have been 145 reported infections in the United States since 1962, from which only four people survived,” the CDC writes, explaining that it is extremely lethal. It is being looked into further because it has made a reappearance in Texas.



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How does N. fowleri actually affect us.


What can we do to avoid the risk of catching PAM?

If you live in Texas, specifically in an area that has been identified to have the amoeba or cases, avoid drinking or using local water. Try bottled water that is not locally sourced. Although bad for the environment, safety comes first. It is best to try to check labels on water to find where it comes from if you are unsure. Officials in Texas have stated that they are trying their best to find a new source of water for those living there, but since there is such short notice, they have stated it may be difficult.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) advised “running bath and shower taps and hoses for several minutes before use and boiling tap water before drinking.” as well as “urged people to avoid water going up the nose when bathing, showering or swimming and prohibited children from playing with hoses, sprinklers or any device that may squirt water up the nose” to be as safe as possible when it comes to contracting the infection.



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How Can We Help?

©CNN


What is being done and how can we help?

The Washington Post explained that the TCEQ is doing everything in their power to help those that live in the state. Currently, “city officials handed out boxes of water for the population of about 27,000 at a temporary distribution center” and many city workers are trying a new method to remove the amoeba using chlorine burn to kill the bacteria.

If you are looking for ways to help, you can donate water to distribution centers if you live near or in Texas. You can also donate money to the Kyle Lewis Amoeba Awareness Foundation or try to make yourself and others aware of the issue.



  • CBS Dallas/Fort Worth. (2020, September 27). Texas 6-Year-Old Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba, Family Says. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from Cbslocal.com website: https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/09/27/texas-6-year-old-dies-brain-eating-amoeba/

  • General Information | Naegleria fowleri. (2020). Retrieved October 2, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

  • Johnson, L. M. (2020, September 30). Disinfecting the Texas water supply from a brain-eating amoeba could take months, officials say. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from CNN website: https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/30/us/brain-eating-amoeba-texas-water-supply-trnd/index.html

  • Mother of a 6-year-old amoeba victim tells his story. (2020, September 26). Josiah McIntyre’s mom talks about his life after he died from brain-eating amoeba. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from ABC13 Houston website: https://abc13.com/josiah-mcintyre-houston-astros-fan-dies-of-brain-amoeba-carlos-correa-helps-family-boy-who-died-in/6581181/

  • Villegas, P. (2020, September 28). Brain-eating amoeba in city’s water supply kills 6-year-old, leads Texas to declare a disaster. Retrieved October 2, 2020, from Washington Post website: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/09/28/brain-eating-amoeba-texas/


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