Man goes water-skiing and days later discovers something is ‘eating' his brain
A man discovered he had been infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba just days after going water-skiing. He has now been rushed into intensive care and is being t reated for primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
The deadly infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri. The amoeba is found in warm and freshwater environments such as ponds, lakes, rivers, hot springs, and poorly maintained swimming pools.
It is thought the man, who has not been identified, became infected by the amoeba after water-skiing in the Lake of Ozarks central Missouri. Fox News reports that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) confirmed the infection on Wednesday.
The DHSS says the source of the infection is unknown but explained the man had been water-skiing days before the discovery. No other cases have been reported.
Between 1962 and 2024 there were 167 cases of PAM reported across the United States. It is thought that the amoeba enters the body through the nose.
The DHSS explained: 'Although a rare occurrence, people become infected by Naegleria fowleri when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose from freshwater sources.
'The Naegleria fowleri amoeba then travels up the nose to the brain where it damages the brain tissue. This infection cannot be spread from one person to another, and it cannot be contracted by swallowing contaminated water.'
The amoeba is said to be the most active in July, August and September, health officials explained. It thrives in water that is warmer than 25C.
The initial signs of PAM are said to start showing around five days after exposure. Early warning signs include a headache, fever and possibly vomiting.
When the infection progresses people often experience confusion, a stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and a coma. Death can occur at any point up to 18 days, with most living just five.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Naegleria fowleri can be treated with anti-fungal medicines. Although tests are said to have been performed in laboratory conditions and not on actual patients.
The DHSS however says there are ways to prevent infection. These include holding your nose or keeping your nose above water when taking part in freshwater activities.
People can also avoid putting their head under water in freshwater and avoid digging up sediment. Naegleria fowleri amoebas are said to live in sediment at the bottom of ponds.
According to the CDC there have been rare instances of people becoming infected with PAM from splash pads and surf parks that did not have enough chlorine in the water. The infection does not occur from swallowing the water, officials say.
A study in 2021 found there had been 381 cases of PAM identified up to 2018. A majority of those infected were male and only seven people survived the condition.
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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Man goes water-skiing and days later discovers something is ‘eating' his brain
The man was rushed to intensive care after developing a rare condition that only seven people have survived just days after the had been water-skiing on a lake A man discovered he had been infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba just days after going water-skiing. He has now been rushed into intensive care and is being t reated for primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The deadly infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri. The amoeba is found in warm and freshwater environments such as ponds, lakes, rivers, hot springs, and poorly maintained swimming pools. It is thought the man, who has not been identified, became infected by the amoeba after water-skiing in the Lake of Ozarks central Missouri. Fox News reports that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) confirmed the infection on Wednesday. The DHSS says the source of the infection is unknown but explained the man had been water-skiing days before the discovery. No other cases have been reported. Between 1962 and 2024 there were 167 cases of PAM reported across the United States. It is thought that the amoeba enters the body through the nose. The DHSS explained: 'Although a rare occurrence, people become infected by Naegleria fowleri when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose from freshwater sources. 'The Naegleria fowleri amoeba then travels up the nose to the brain where it damages the brain tissue. This infection cannot be spread from one person to another, and it cannot be contracted by swallowing contaminated water.' The amoeba is said to be the most active in July, August and September, health officials explained. It thrives in water that is warmer than 25C. The initial signs of PAM are said to start showing around five days after exposure. Early warning signs include a headache, fever and possibly vomiting. When the infection progresses people often experience confusion, a stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and a coma. Death can occur at any point up to 18 days, with most living just five. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Naegleria fowleri can be treated with anti-fungal medicines. Although tests are said to have been performed in laboratory conditions and not on actual patients. The DHSS however says there are ways to prevent infection. These include holding your nose or keeping your nose above water when taking part in freshwater activities. People can also avoid putting their head under water in freshwater and avoid digging up sediment. Naegleria fowleri amoebas are said to live in sediment at the bottom of ponds. According to the CDC there have been rare instances of people becoming infected with PAM from splash pads and surf parks that did not have enough chlorine in the water. The infection does not occur from swallowing the water, officials say. A study in 2021 found there had been 381 cases of PAM identified up to 2018. A majority of those infected were male and only seven people survived the condition.
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6 days ago
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Aussie towns on edge after disturbing discovery is made in TAP WATER that could cause a very painful death
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The Independent
07-08-2025
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Americans get more than half their calories from these ultra-processed foods
More than half the calories consumed by most Americans originate from ultra-processed foods, according to a new federal report. While nutrition research has shown for years that ultraprocessed foods make up a big chunk of the U.S. diet, particularly for children and teenagers, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has, for the first time, confirmed these high consumption levels. Their findings are based on dietary data collected from August 2021 to August 2023. The report comes amid growing scrutiny by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who blames them for causing chronic disease. 'We are poisoning ourselves and it's coming principally from these ultraprocessed foods,' Kennedy told Fox News earlier this year. Overall, about 55 percent of total calories consumed by Americans aged one and older came from ultraprocessed foods during that period, according to the report. For adults, ultraprocessed foods made up about 53 percent of total calories consumed, but for kids through age 18, it was nearly 62 percent. The top sources included burgers and sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza and sweetened drinks. Young children consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods than older kids, the report found. Adults 60 and older consumed fewer calories from those sources than younger adults. Low-income adults consumed more ultra-processed foods than those with higher incomes. The results were not surprising, said co-author Anne Williams, a CDC nutrition expert. What was surprising was that consumption of ultra-processed foods appeared to dip slightly over the past decade. Among adults, total calories from those sources fell from about 56 percent in 2013-2014 and from nearly 66 percent for kids in 2017-2018. Williams said she couldn't speculate about the reason for the decline or whether consumption of less processed foods increased. But Andrea Deierlein, a nutrition expert at New York University who was not involved in the research, suggested that there may be greater awareness of the potential harms of ultra-processed foods. 'People are trying, at least in some populations, to decrease their intakes of these foods,' she said. Concern over ultraprocessed foods' health effects has been growing for years, but finding solutions has been difficult. Many studies have linked them to obesity, diabetes and heart disease, but they haven't been able to prove that the foods directly cause those chronic health problems. One small but influential study found that even when diets were matched for calories, sugar, fat, fiber and micronutrients, people consumed more calories and gained more weight when they ate ultra-processed foods than when they ate minimally processed foods. Research published this week in the journal Nature found that participants in a clinical trial lost twice as much weight when they ate minimally processed foods — such as pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables — than ultra-processed foods, even those matched for nutrition components and considered healthy, such as ready-to-heat frozen meals, protein bars and shakes. Part of the problem is simply defining ultra-processed foods. The new CDC report used the most common definition based on the four-tier Nova system developed by Brazilian researchers that classifies foods according to the amount of processing they undergo. Such foods tend to be 'hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fiber and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats,' the CDC report said. U.S. health officials recently said there are concerns over whether current definitions 'accurately capture' the range of foods that may affect health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department recently issued a request for information to develop a new, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods for products in the U.S. food supply. In the meantime, Americans should try to reduce ultra-processed foods in their daily diets, Deierlein said. For instance, instead of instant oatmeal that may contain added sugar, sodium, artificial colors and preservatives, use plain oats sweetened with honey or maple syrup. Read food packages and nutrition information, she suggested. 'I do think that there are less-processed options available for many foods,' she said.
