Brain eating amoeba

[AZplaya]

Linky http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...ba0926-ON.html

So I'm a resident of Lake Havasu City and this is causing a big scare here. Bunch of ppl want to close the lake, put up signs, etc, which I think is over reacting because 20 thousand ppl swim in this lake every weekend and this is the first time this has happened. But seriously, wtf? Has anyone heard of a brain eating amoeba before? I know I never had until this happened.
[x]wear a noseplug next time you go swimming in a warm water lake.

[siccjay]

I read about this a few weeks ago. Very scary. Flu like symptoms and then you are dead in a few days? [censored] that.

[hobbes9324]

Yep - we got them in Nevada, too....VERY uncommon to get your brain eaten, as you noted. OTOH, if you grab the black marble......

MM MD

[IggyWH]

I know I'd stay my ass out of that water. I know, if you try to live your life by staying away from every little thing that can kill you, you'd end up putting a bullet in your heard. Still, that sounds like a hellova way to go.

[Phil153]

Standard. They're widespread in Australia where country kids often swim in dams heated by very hot summer temperatures. Everyone's aware of the threat and no one really gives a crap - it's a rare occurence, if you don't let water get shoved violently up your nose then the danger is zero.

There are much riskier activities we do every day that we don't have to. If you're really worried about brain damage and death, it's far more dangerous to get in the car of someone under 25. Yet we don't think twice about doing that.

[IggyWH]

So Australia has these too? Remind me to stay the hell away from Australia with brain eating amoeba's and killer jellyfish.

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
Standard. They're widespread in Australia where country kids often swim in dams heated by very hot summer temperatures. Everyone's aware of the threat and no one really gives a crap - it's a rare occurence, if you don't let water get shoved violently up your nose then the danger is zero.

There are much riskier activities we do every day that we don't have to. If you're really worried about brain damage and death, it's far more dangerous to get in the car of someone under 25. Yet we don't think twice about doing that.

[/ QUOTE ]

right, exactly. yet the parent in this case said something like "my kids will never swim in that lake again".. i mean yeah, i guess so but at least realize that that's totally irrational.

[entertainme]

[ QUOTE ]

right, exactly. yet the parent in this case said something like "my kids will never swim in that lake again".. i mean yeah, i guess so but at least realize that that's totally irrational.

[/ QUOTE ]

You expect him to be rational when he's burying his 14 year old son?

If I ever have to bury one of my kids, it's likely I'd never be rational again.

[KotOD]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

If I ever have to bury one of my kids, it's likely I'd never be rational again.

[/ QUOTE ]

Again?

[poincaraux]

This thing (Naegleria fowleri) is named after my friend's grandfather, Dr. Malcolm Fowler.