Definition:
Naegleria infection is a rare infection or disease whereby the naegleria amoeba enters the body through the nose while swimming or other water activity, which goes to the brain through the ofactory nerve thereby causing inflammation or swelling and eventually to the destruction of the brain tissues.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis to confirm the Naegleria Infection includes undergoing or having the patient's blood test, imaging tests of the brain and undergoing a lumbar puncture.
Treatment:
Treatment of the Naegleria Infection includes oral administration of amphotericin B which is an anti-fungal medication that is commonly injected either into the vein of the patient or into the space around the spinal cord to kill the amoebas causing the disease.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms of the Naegleria infection includes unusual headache, stiff and pain in the neck that is usually longer than usual, nausea, dizziness, unusual feeling of sleepiness and restlessness, seizures, fever, weight loss and a change of smell or taste.
Causes:
Naegleria Infection is caused by a Naegleria Fowleri Amoeba which lives in fresh waters, like lakes and lagoons, and enters through the nose through the nasal mucous membranes and makes it way to the brain through the olfactory nerve.
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