Regional communities are being advised to chlorinate their house water after a third child death from a “brain-eating parasite”.

Key points:
•Water-borne parasite kills three children in north-west Queensland
•Mother suspects her toddler infected while playing in backyard sprinkler
•Infection can occur when untreated water enters the brain via the nose
•Queensland Government launches awareness campaign in regional and rural communities

The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, thrives in warm fresh water across large parts of inland Australia.

While authorities say infection is very rare, medics warn survival is even rarer.

“It causes catastrophic meningitis encephalitis, and by the time these kids are diagnosed the treatments are usually ineffective,” public health physician Dr Steven Donohue said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-09/rural-children-at-risk-of-parasite-thriving-in-fresh-water/6922432

Peak Warming Man said:

Regional communities are being advised to chlorinate their house water after a third child death from a “brain-eating parasite”.

Key points:
•Water-borne parasite kills three children in north-west Queensland
•Mother suspects her toddler infected while playing in backyard sprinkler
•Infection can occur when untreated water enters the brain via the nose
•Queensland Government launches awareness campaign in regional and rural communities

The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, thrives in warm fresh water across large parts of inland Australia.

While authorities say infection is very rare, medics warn survival is even rarer.

“It causes catastrophic meningitis encephalitis, and by the time these kids are diagnosed the treatments are usually ineffective,” public health physician Dr Steven Donohue said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-09/rural-children-at-risk-of-parasite-thriving-in-fresh-water/6922432

Luckily, the dams I swim in rarely enter the ‘warm water’ category.

> The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, thrives in warm fresh water across large parts of inland Australia.

Nice to know. An Australian native?

> This microorganism is typically found in bodies of warm freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is also found in the soil, near warm-water discharges of industrial plants, and in poorly or unchlorinated swimming pools, in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. There is no indication of N. fowleri living in salt water.

No mention of bore water.

Any connection to amoebic dysentery?

mollwollfumble said:

> The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, thrives in warm fresh water across large parts of inland Australia.

Nice to know. An Australian native?

> This microorganism is typically found in bodies of warm freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is also found in the soil, near warm-water discharges of industrial plants, and in poorly or unchlorinated swimming pools, in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. There is no indication of N. fowleri living in salt water.

No mention of bore water.

Any connection to amoebic dysentery?

Australian native (and first identified in Australia), but also found elsewhere.

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

“You cannot get infected from swallowing water contaminated with Naegleria.” So not a cause of amoebic dysentery.

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/

If the bore water were sitting around nice and warm, I’d imagine it’d become a nice place for the parasite to live.

Michael V said:

mollwollfumble said:

> The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, thrives in warm fresh water across large parts of inland Australia.

Nice to know. An Australian native?

> This microorganism is typically found in bodies of warm freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is also found in the soil, near warm-water discharges of industrial plants, and in poorly or unchlorinated swimming pools, in an amoeboid or temporary flagellate stage. There is no indication of N. fowleri living in salt water.

No mention of bore water.

Any connection to amoebic dysentery?

Australian native (and first identified in Australia), but also found elsewhere.

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

“You cannot get infected from swallowing water contaminated with Naegleria.” So not a cause of amoebic dysentery.

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/

If the bore water were sitting around nice and warm, I’d imagine it’d become a nice place for the parasite to live.

I doubt that salty bore water would be applicable.