Amoebic meningitis is a rare brain infection. This condition is caused by Naegleria Fowleri which is a free-living amoeba. Amoeba are single-celled organisms that reside in warm fresh water and in soil all over the world. These organisms prefer temperatures around 46 degrees C but can survive in temperatures outside that range as well. These amoebae enter the body through the nose.
The symptoms of Amoebic meningitis come in stages. The first stage is often characterised by the following symptoms, which can begin as early as one day after infection or as late as 12 days after infection:
Later stages of infection cause the following symptoms:
This condition can be hard to diagnose in the early stages since the symptoms tend to be mild and might be confused with other diseases or conditions. Sadly, the disease often progresses quite rapidly and is almost always fatal. Some patients can die within five days of contracting this form of meningitis.
Naegleria fowleri infects human hosts by entering the body via the nose. This is usually a result of swimming in water that has these organisms in it, but it can also happen as a result of rinsing the nose during religious ceremonies. Attempting to treat sinus infections with nasal rinses using contaminated water is another common means of infection with this single-celled organism.
Since you cannot get sick from drinking water infected with this organism, many people believe that the water that they are using for these other purposes is safe to swim in or use for sinus care. You cannot spread this infection to other people if you have contracted it.
The risk factors related to contracting this form of meningitis are:
Diagnosis can be hard to obtain in the early stages of this condition. However, as symptoms progress, a doctor might order lab tests to confirm that naegleria fowleri is present. Many doctors will treat for amoebic meningitis even if they have not confirmed a diagnosis since the condition is fatal within a few days in some cases.
Treatment of amoebic meningitis involves the use of drugs like amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine, and dexamethasone. These drugs have been used to treat the small number of cases where the patient has survived. There is no clear course of treatment for this condition since the survival rate is so low.
Prevention of this infection involves avoiding swimming in bodies of freshwater and pools that have not been maintained correctly. You should also avoid the use of freshwater or water that has not been properly sanitised when rinsing your sinuses.