Skip to main content

'Brain-eating amoeba' found in water supply near New Orleans

US health officials have confirmed the presence of a 'brain-eating' amoeba in the water supply of several communities near New Orleans. Ascension Parish and St Bernard Parish have each discovered Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that enters through the nose and attacks the brain. Officials have begun a 60 day "chlorine burn" to kill off the deadly pathogen. Water from the tap is safe to drink, officials say, but should be prevented from entering the nose. This is the second time in two years that the amoeba has been discovered outside New Orleans. The water system currently serves about 44,000 people, according to ABC News. Before Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the system served 68,000. During a screening of the water supply after the rediscovery of the amoeba, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH) found that chlorine levels were not being maintained at the level needed to kill off the dangerous organism. 'Destruction of brain tissue' Chlorine levels are being increased to higher-than-required levels to ensure that the remaining amoebae are removed. The amoeba can lead to a disease called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) "which is a brain infection that leads to the destruction of brain tissue," according to the LDHH. In 2013, a 4-year-old boy from St Bernard parish died after becoming infected with Naegleria fowleri after playing on an inflatable water slide.

Comments

Post a Comment

*We hate vulgarity and abusive words, such will not be condoled here.
*Your comments are appreciated and are moderated, will be published immidiately after admins approval. Feel free to say your mind.
*Are you finding it difficult to comment? Here is a tip for you....
You can Use your Google account to comment, If You don't have a Google account, You can add only Your Name, Click COMMENT AS >> Select NAME/URL >>Put your Name, (Leave URL empty if you don't have a website) >> then Write Your Comment in the Comment box and click Publish.
Thats All. If also you do not wish to comment, you can always click on the Funny, interesting or cool links just below the post, to rate this post according to where you think its falls to...

Note: Comments made on this blog does not refer to blog's owner opinion as its commenters opinion on post made here. Thank you

Popular posts from this blog

The Economist article on the fight against Boko Haram

Read this very interesting article by The Economiston the fight against Boko Haram and the alleged multiple deaths of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. The article below.. How many times can one man die? At least four, in the case of Abubakar Shekau, the slippery leader of Boko Haram. Nigerian security forces celebrated his demise in 2009, 2013 and 2014, only for him to pop up again, disconcertingly animate, on camera. When Chad’s president said in August that his troops had killed Mr Shekau, the jihadist was resurrected once again, this time with a voice recording. “Woe unto liars that had claimed I am dead,” said the voice. “Nobody can kill me.” This relatively mild-mannered dispatch raised questions of its own. Most of what is known about Africa’s most notorious terrorist derives from his gun-wielding, slave-touting videos. If he were still at large, would he not release a film in his usual more robust style? Most probably, he is indeed alive. Whether he is injured is impossible...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bode George asks Buhari to probe Tinubu, Fashola

PDP Chieftain Bode George has asked President Buhari to probe the administrations of former Lagos state governors, Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola. In a statement released yesterday August 19th, Bode George said Buhari cannot claim to be fighting corruption and not investigate the circumstances surrounding the controversial N78 million tundefashola.com website. "We are living in a very interesting time. There is an air of repugnancy everywhere most specifically in my state where the immoral stench and the dark odium of Mr. Babatunde Fashola’s administration is daily being unearthed. What is most disgusting and annoying in all these is the arrogant and the befuddled attempt of Mr. Fashola to justify the apparent reckless misappropriation of Lagos state taxpayers’ money to set up a personal web site. Fashola shows no remorse, no semblance of regret, no guilty nudging of conscience. Instead, he still attempts to ride a high horse, puffing and stomping in feigned seraphic innocenc...
Post a Comment
Read more

Queen Elizabeth II becomes longest-reigning monarch on a day of characteristic modesty

She accepted it was a “special day” as she became our longest-reigning monarch, but the Queen was, as ever, the very embodiment of understatement. Appearing rather bashful about the attention being lavished on her as she made history, Her Majesty made only a passing reference to her entry in the record books, insisting: “It is not one to which I have ever aspired.” While everyone around her was, quite rightly, paying homage to her remarkable achievement, the Queenmade it clear that, as far as she was concerned, all she had done was to stay alive and healthy. “Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones,” she said. “My own is no exception. But I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages of great kindness.” Queen Victoria, the woman whose record she surpassed, was not mentioned in the Queen’s brief speech at Tweedbank railway station in the Borders, where Her Majesty was more preoccupied with the business at hand, namely opening the longes...
Post a Comment
Read more