Anyone seen this? (Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria: live, beaches, swimming pool)

[Steve-o]

Arizona Boy Dies Of Rare Infection - Local News Story - KPHO Phoenix

[Bill-]

Yeah, I saw it yesterday, that poor father.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Arizona Boy Dies Of Rare Infection - Local News Story - KPHO Phoenix

Damn, Steve-o . . . that's downright disgusting!

WHAT'S NEXT?

[steve22]

Yep. Another Naegleria infection occurred not long ago, a few years I believe, in a young boy who went went swimming in Lake Pleasant. He died a few days after showing up in the E.R. at the hospital in Phoenix where I used to work, in fact. The infection isn't a "brain-eating amoebae", as described in the AZ Republic story; that's journalistic bombast and it's nonsense. It swims up your nose, enters the meninges through the cribriform plate and rapidly causes a severe, almost universally fatal meningitis. Infections are very rare, but when they do occur, there's really nothing that can be done and almost never is the infection survivable. It's usually only a few days until death. The organism lives in standing fresh water, and likes warm temps. It's a nasty bug, no doubt about it.

I think that the idea of shutting down all the beaches on Lake Havasu is a bit harsh, but the lesson here is, if you are going to let your kids swim in fresh water lakes and ponds, make darn sure they plug their noses if they go under and don't let them do somersaults under the water too much. The risk is small, but it's there.

[Ponderosa]

Two five year old boys died in Peoria/Glendale a few years back and this amoeba was implicated. They found it in samples from Rose Valley Water Co which serves that area. There has been something of an outbreak this year with several deaths in Florida and Texas and now the AZ case.

[Steve-o]

Is this a new parasite? Ive never heard of such a thing before, thats creepy because I swim in Lake Pleasant from time to time.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Bummer

WHAT'S NEXT?

mandatory vaccinations

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

mandatory vaccinations

LOL @ SierraAZ

I was thinking more along the lines of . . . OUTLAWING SWIMMING! ! ! ! !

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Is this a new parasite? Ive never heard of such a thing before, thats creepy because I swim in Lake Pleasant from time to time.

No, it's been around forever and it's worldwide. It has caused maybe 100 deaths in the US in the last few decades. Most cases have been in the south-eastern US and Texas. There have been two deaths in AZ this year - the one at Havasu and a Buckeye boy apparently from Lake Pleasant. Two deaths occurred in Lubbock Texas and three in Florida - all but one boys under 18. Older adults and girls are rarely affected. Geography affords little protection. It can be found in water over about 80 degrees - which can be found about everywhere in summer. Even swimming pools can harbor it if not chlorinated properly. Bad as it is, I think a lot more people drowned in lakes this year than died of this terrible thing. Perspective, perspective.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Bummer

LOL @ SierraAZ

I was thinking more along the lines of . . . OUTLAWING SWIMMING! ! ! ! !

That too!