By Kim Rooks
Published on October 10, 2007
The phrase “Naegleria fowleri amoeba” probably doesn’t mean anything to the average American citizen, but the phrase “brain-eating amoeba” may cause a bit of a stir. The ameba enters the human body through the nose, it then travels to the spinal cord and brain, where it destroys brain tissue.
So far, the Naegleria fowleri amoeba has killed six Americans this year. This is hardly an epidemic, but many people are still concerned. The main concern is in Texas at Lake LBJ, however, almost every lake in Texas can carry the amoeba.
Only 23 fatalities of the ameba have been reported since 1996, but when children started to take the fall, parents became concerned.
One Texas parent, Melissa Brown, has spoken out on her feelings. She believes that the state should take extra precautions to warn citizens of the danger in the lakes.
The amoeba thrives when water temperatures reach and exceed 80 degrees. Thanks to global warming, the amoeba will continue to thrive more through the next few years. Melissa Brown thinks that officals of the state should monitor the temperatures of the lakes.
“Temperature is not that hard to measure, why are not more precautions made when the water reaches above 80 degrees?” asked Brown in an interview with Rudy Koski of Texas Cable News.
