Brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri

[Schwob]

Wondering with a shudder (link to article below):
Is or could that be a factor with US dive sites? Could this amoeba live in the water to the Florida springs? Or is it known with certainty that those waters are cool enough that this us not a possibility? Other Freshwater dive or snorkel sites? (i.e. ike the rivers visited by Manatees)

Rare brain-eating amoeba case found in Florida

 

[Wookie]

Wondering with a shudder (link to article below):
Is or could that be a factor with US dive sites? Could this amoeba live in the water to the Florida springs? Or is it known with certainty that those waters are cool enough that this us not a possibility? Other Freshwater dive or snorkel sites? (i.e. ike the rivers visited by Manatees)

Rare brain-eating amoeba case found in Florida

Don’t worry. Floridaman will not be effected.

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

The springs are generally too cold, per this publication from the Queensland Health ministry:

Naegleria fowleri are found around the world. They grow best in warm water, especially between 25oC and 40oC (77-104oF). Any water body that seasonally exceeds 30oC or continually exceeds 25oC can support the growth of N.fowleri.

The northern Florida cave springs are usually 21-22oC (70-72oF) and circulate rapidly and do not warm that much in the sun. It's unlikely that the amoeba is present in the water but could be in the sediment.

The reported cases from Florida typically involve people who were swimming in warm/hot brackish water. As for the general level of risk:

It is estimated that the risk from recreational water activities (such as swimming/diving/waterskiing) in potentially contaminated freshwater in the USA, is five cases of N.fowleri infection for every billion episodes of recreational water activity.

 

[Ghost95]

Wondering with a shudder (link to article below):
Is or could that be a factor with US dive sites? Could this amoeba live in the water to the Florida springs? Or is it known with certainty that those waters are cool enough that this us not a possibility? Other Freshwater dive or snorkel sites? (i.e. ike the rivers visited by Manatees)

Rare brain-eating amoeba case found in Florida

Sure, it could be found in all those places, BUT...it can also be found in tap water sometimes.

 

[Jcp2]

Neti pot with tap water caused woman's deadly brain infection: Report

Water up the nose

 

[Schwob]

Don’t worry. Floridaman will not be effected.

Or a Wookie...

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Wondering with a shudder (link to article below):
Is or could that be a factor with US dive sites? Could this amoeba live in the water to the Florida springs? Or is it known with certainty that those waters are cool enough that this us not a possibility? Other Freshwater dive or snorkel sites? (i.e. ike the rivers visited by Manatees)

Rare brain-eating amoeba case found in Florida

Just one more kick in the nts. Praying for you, Florida. Now stay inside and put on a damn mask.

 

[greeniguana]

That amoeba is not "new" it's been around a long time. When I was a kid (and swam around in hot FL lakes all the time), we knew a kid that died from it. We never worried about it. You have about the same odds of getting eaten by a gator. Which we also never worried about.

I've gotten some nasty skin rashes from swamps that would make brain eating amoeba sound pleasant.

 

[ibj40]

Naegleria fowleri

I live in the Brazos River basin in Texas. We've had a couple of fatalities over the past decade. Unfortunately, both were kids.

 

[WeRtheOcean]

Well, I will say the brain eating amoeba worries me more than the zombie apocalypse.