Rise of the brain-eating amoebas

[Saru]

Incidents involving a fatal amoebic organism that dines on your brain are on the increase in the US.

It’s a fatal infection without an effective treatment, and one that strikes in a decidedly gruesome manner: An amoebic organism lurking in water is inadvertently inhaled during a swim on a hot summer’s day.

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[The Lone Ranger]

Zombies, better prepare

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

this, dear children, is why I never learnt how to swim.

[Grandpa Greenman]

I lost a friend in grade school to this. The amoebas really like warm water. I am not surprised it is getting worse. Hail Tommy, you left us much too soon, my friend.

[little_dreamer]

It seems to happen in lakes and rivers, not the ocean. Better wear a nose plug or don't put your face underwater.

[spud the mackem]

Wow really nasty,but it will probably starve to death in some cases.

[Ashotep]

Just need to join the polar bear club.

[Grandpa Greenman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz00ZD6zEuE

[Astral Hillbilly]

I assume it can't survive in saltwater (ocean water).

[Rafterman]

The article seems to be a bit alarmist. Even in areas of the Southeast where the amoeba lives traditionally, it is still an extremely rare occurrence given the tens of millions of people that go for a swim in freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams each year. So what if it spreads to northern areas? There's probably a higher chance you'll be struck by lightening.

[Xanthurion2]

Man, pair this thing with something that makes people want to eat other people and if they don't end up killing each other then we got ourselves a verified zombie disease.

[paperdyer]

The article seems to be a bit alarmist. Even in areas of the Southeast where the amoeba lives traditionally, it is still an extremely rare occurrence given the tens of millions of people that go for a swim in freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams each year. So what if it spreads to northern areas? There's probably a higher chance you'll be struck by lightening.

Speaking of lightning, the lastest radio commercials I've heard in SC state that if you here thunder, even in the distance, lightning is close enough to strike you. IMMEDIATELY seek shelter in a SUBSTANTIAL building or a metal topped vehicle. In other words, be like caveman and cower when you hear big noise. The point the commercial is really trying to make is don't work outside in the rain as it starts with a statistic about what percentage of lightning kills are men working outside during a storm. I wonder how many of that percentage is electrical workers trying to restore power to people.

[paperdyer]

Wow really nasty,but it will probably starve to death in some cases.

You trying to say some people are brainless?

[Lava_Lady]

Thankful this amoeba doesn't live in the ocean. I only have to worry about sharks, eels, and angry dolphins... whew.

[pallidin]

When amoeba's start consuming "bath salts", we will have a real problem.

[Sundew]

This is why I don't swim in fresh water, except for springs, which tend to be cold and the water clean.

I watched a bit of the "Turtle Man" yesterday as he was diving into an ugly brown water, duckweed covered, cow manure laden farm pond in search of snapping turtles that had attacked a farmers cows. All I could think of was, it won't be a turtle or alligator that kills the Turtle Man, it will be a tiny amoeba. I cringed every time he dove under that nasty water.