Naegleria fowleri

The brain-eating amoeba destroys brain tissues and causes a dangerous infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis.

The organism best grows in high temperatures up to 46°C and sometimes can survive at even higher temperatures. In the initial stages, they might be similar to symptoms of meningitis, which are headache, nausea and fever. Naegleria is an amoeba, a single-celled organism, and only one of its species, called Naegleria fowleri, can infect humans, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the later stages, one can suffer from a stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations, and even coma. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) revealed that the man stayed in Thailand for four months before entering South Korea on December 10. The authorities said a 50-year-old Korean national, who had recently returned from Thailand, died 10 days after showing symptoms of the rare yet fatal infection.

Brain-eating amoeba causes 'primary amoebic meningoencephalitis' (PAM) disease which is widely seen as fatal.

Patients can experience severe frontal headaches, fever, nausea, and vomiting in the first stage, with a stiff neck, seizures, altered mental status, and hallucinations in the second. The cause of death was confirmed after a post-mortem investigation. Also Read In serious cases the patient can even slip ino a coma.

The Naegleria fowleri infection, also known as the 'brain eating amoeba' is usually found in warm freshwater bodies.

SEOUL (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network): South Korea reported its first case of infection from Naegleria fowleri, commonly referred to as “brain-eating ...

The incubation period for Naegleria fowleri is usually from two to three days and up to 15 days at most. Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba, or a single-celled living organism, that lives in soil and warm freshwater, such as hot springs, lakes and rivers, across the globe. This is the first known infection from the disease in South Korea.