DDC Affirms "Brain-eating Amoeba" Not Contagious

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has confirmed that the brain disease caused by Naegleria fowleri, also known as "brain-eating amoeba," is not communicable among humans.

 

The announcement was made after the Korea Herald reported on Monday that a South Korean man in his fifties died of a brain ailment on Dec 21, three days after returning from a four-month trip to Thailand.

 

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the man’s genetic testing for three types of viruses causing Naegleria fowleri was 99.6 percent comparable to those detected in a patient with meningitis who was reported abroad. The man was the first patient in the country to be diagnosed with the condition.

 

According to Tares Krassanairawutong, the director-general of DDC, the disease cannot be transmitted from person to person or through safe drinking water. Patients infected with the disease may develop severe headaches, fever, vomiting, and a stiff neck. The disease also has the potential to escalate to a fatal stage.

 

To prevent the amoeba from entering the body, Dr. Tares recommended that individuals avoid swimming in contaminated water. He also suggested they use sterilized water or saline water for nasal cleaning.

 

The DDC stated that the disease is rare in Thailand, noting that only 17 patients were diagnosed with the disease in Thailand from 1983–2021.

 

According to the Korea Herald, since 2018, a total of 381 instances of Naegleria fowleri have been documented worldwide, including in India, Thailand, the United States, China, and Japan.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG221230141950730

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-12-30

 

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[Highend Expat]

Interesting timing once again. Let's hope we don't later find out China has been tinkering again with bugs.... 

[wn78]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the man’s genetic testing for three types of viruses causing Naegleria fowleri was 99.6 percent comparable to those detected in a patient with meningitis who was reported abroad

Naegleria fowleri is a parasite, not a virus - poor translation?

Googling it - you can only catch it swimming in fresh water, not the ocean.  I wish they further investigate where he was swimming.  Isaan has lots of standing fresh water, but this disease is very rare.  But it is also found in poorly chlorinated swimming pools.... hmm... Execution of proper pool maintenance procedures in Thailand hotels.....????

[metisdead]

Some troll posts have been removed.

[SmartyMarty]

I disagree. Just look at Thai politicians.

[joloit]

On 12/30/2022 at 4:46 PM, snoop1130 said:

The DDC stated that the disease is rare in Thailand, noting that only 17 patients were diagnosed with the disease in Thailand from 1983–2021.

Mmmmh….. I wonder if this statement has ever been questioned.

[ozimoron]

27 minutes ago, joloit said:

Mmmmh….. I wonder if this statement has ever been questioned.

You can bet that it has. That's the basis of science.

[wn78]

So it's extremely rare, tons of other rare diseases out there, no need to get concerned, right?  

 

This one is different because it has 98% fatality rate.  And it comes from water anywhere or even swimming pools.  So any cases should be investigated thoroughly on where they came from.