Brain-Eating Amoeba

Summary-

    Early in July this year, 12 year old Kali Hardig from Little Rock, Arkansas, contracted a form of meningitis caused by a brain-eating amoeba parasite called Naeglearia fowleri. The parasite can be contracted by swimming in still, murky waters with soft bottoms such as sand. Kali is said to have gotten the parasite from a local recreational water park that is built on a pond. The only way to contract the amoeba is through the nasal passage, although getting the parasite through drinking contaminated water is a common misconception. 
     There have only been 132 document cases of the particular parasite since 1962 (NBC) and with a survival rate of less than 1%, there has only two survivors, one being Kali Hardig. Another 12-year old boy contracted the parasite around the same time as Kali but Zachary Reyna was not part of the 1%. (CNN)
    Another incident involving the brain-eating amoeba has arose in Louisiana when a 4-year old boy died from the rare microbe in August after playing on a Slip N' Slide in St. Bernard's Paris, which was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina 2005.(NY Daily News) In more recent news, further investigation of the boys death appeared that the water supply in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana may be contaminated with Naeglearia fowleri from Hurricane Katrina. Water fountains have been shut off, water bottles are being handed out and a swimming pool has been closed in St. Bernard's Parish. (NBC)




Citations


http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/53036982/#53036982 - NBC news report video on Louisiana water supply contamination


http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/12/health/arkansas-amoeba-survivor/index.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/hurricane-katrina-responsible-brain-eating-amoeba-killed-boy-article-1.1461692