Potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba found in Charleville, Augathella's water supply
The Murweh Shire Council issued a public health notice after recent testing found Naegleria fowleri in the drinking water supply for Charleville and Augathella.
The hazardous amoeba occurs naturally in untreated fresh water and soil, preferring temperatures between 25 degrees Celsius and 40C.
It can cause a very rare but serious brain infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis that is nearly always fatal.
Infection cannot occur from drinking, cooking, or washing clothes in contaminated water.
It only occurs when untreated water enters the nose and reaches the brain.
There have been no new recorded cases of infection, with the most recent in Queensland more than 10 years ago.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said the town's water supply remains safe to drink.
"There is minimal risk to the community as long as people don't allow water to go up their nose when bathing, showering or washing their face," the spokesperson said.
Queensland Health has urged residents to supervise children to ensure water does not go up their noses, not to put heads underwater in pools filled with town water, and to avoid using water for nasal irrigation.
Since 2000, there have been five confirmed cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in Australia and one probable case in Queensland, each resulting in deaths.
Children and young people are more susceptible to the infection.
Three children in north-west Queensland have died from the infection, most recently a one-year-old from Richmond in 2015.
Symptoms usually develop within three to seven days of infection by Naegleria fowleri.
They include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, sleepiness, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, hallucinations, disturbances of taste and smell, and seizures.
Murweh Shire chief executive Bruce Scott issued a statement over the weekend urging people to remain calm until there was more information.
"This public health risk is very new to council too, but we hope to have a suitably qualified person/s … to provide answers where possible," he wrote.
"Please observe the advice provided, and council is seeking your assistance to help spread the word on how to manage this risk sensibly and reassure people to remain calm until the public health unit, the water regulator and council can provide a mitigation strategy."
Murweh Shire Council is conducting water testing to determine the extent of the contamination.
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