Amebic meningoencephalitis, minnesota, second fatality, Texas

[Ronan Kelly]

Archive Number 20100829.3077
Published Date 29-AUG-2010
Subject PRO/EDR> Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA: (MN)

AMEBIC MENINGOENCEPHALITIS, PRIMARY - USA: (MINNESOTA)
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Fri 27 Aug 2010
Source: Twincities.com [edited]
<http://www.twincities.com/minnesota/ci_15904227?nclick_check=1>


Health officials confirm a 7-year-old girl has died of a very rare
form of meningitis, but they say the public is not at risk.

The Minnesota Department of Health says the disease was caused by a
common kind of amoeba associated with warm freshwater. In very rare
cases, it can cause a severe brain infection that's nearly always fatal.

The particular organism infects people by entering the body through
the nose, generally when people swim.

In the 10 years ending in 2007, 33 infections were reported in the
U.S., mostly in southern states. By comparison, drowning deaths occur
1200 times more often.

Health officials say the girl swam at several locations in the weeks
before her death, and they note it has been an unusually warm summer.

Dr. Richard Danila, an epidemiologist with the department, says the
case does not signal any increased risk to the public from any
particular body of water, and people should not avoid swimming.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[Encephalitis from free living amoeba occurs worldwide except in the
arctic regions. The route of infection is through the nasal mucosa
directly into the brain. The diagnosis is difficult and requires a
brain biopsy with histology, supplemented by PCR.

Several species of free living amoeba may cause encephalitis:
_Naegleria fowleri_, _Acanthamoeba_, _Balamuthia mandrillaris_, and
recently _Paravahlkampfia francinae_ have been described.

A recent review of amebic encephalitis in the United Sates was
published in 2009: Hannafin B et al. Update on emerging infections:
News from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Primary
amebic meningoencephalitis-Arizona, Florida, and Texas, 2007. Ann
Emerg Med. 2009;54:469-72.

Treatment is difficult, and several combinations of amphotericin B
plus azithromycin, rifampicin and fluconazole have reportedly had
effect in animal models or single human cases.

The broad spectrum anti-protozoan drug nitazoxanide is theoretically
an option, but no studies or cases have been reported. - Mod.EP]

[For the interactive HealthMap/ProMED map of Minnesota, see
<http://healthmap.org/r/00DI>. - Mod.MPP]

[see also:
2009
----
Amebic meningoencephalitis, organ transplant - USA (02): (MS) 20091222.4309
Amebic meningoencephalitis, organ transplant - USA (MS) 20091220.4298
2007
----
Acanthamoeba keratitis - USA (Multistate) 20070527.1703
2002
----
Amebic meningoencephalitis - USA (Arizona) (05) 20021124.5886
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (AZ) (04) 20021106.5733
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (AZ) (03) 20021024.5632
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (AZ) (02) 20021021.5617
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (Arizona) 20021020.5608
2001
----
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (Calif.) 20010424.0793
1998
----
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - Mexico 19980827.1695
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (Florida) 19980808.1557
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (Michigan) 19980828.1713
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA (Texas) 19980722.1387
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA(Texas) (02) 19980806.1520
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - USA(Texas) (03) 19980808.1556
1995
----
Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - Texas, USA 19950823.0733
Waterborne pathogens 19950809.0654
Waterborne pathogens (2) 19950809.0655
Waterborne pathogens: RFI 19950808.0650]
..............................................ep/msp/mpp

http://promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,84512

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - usa: (minnesota)

Re: Amebic meningoencephalitis, primary - usa: (minnesota)

And now another fatality out of Texas;

7-Year-Old Killed By Rare Infection
By SUSY SOLIS and KEVIN COKELY
Updated 11:05 PM CDT, Tue, Aug 31, 2010


Lewis Family Photo A 7-year-old Mansfield boy died after he contracted a rare infection from an amoeba while swimming in a Texas river.

Kyle Lewis died within four days of swimming in the Paulaxy River near Glen Rose.

...

Doctors said the boy contracted an infection from Naegleria folwleri, an amoeba that thrives in warm, stagnant water.

"You develop signs of meningitis and signs of encephalitis, and then you get sicker very quickly," said Dr. Donald Murphey, the medical director of infectious diseases at Fort Worth's Cook Children's Medical Center. "There is treatment for it, but the treatment does not work very well."

continues at;
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/7-Year-Old-Killed-By-Rare-Infection--101934683.html