A new threat has emerged as a likely consequence of rising global temperatures. Instead of manifesting itself in an extreme weather event or global crisis, though, it's in the form of a parasite that can cause a rare but often fatal infection in the brain.
What's happening?
The Week highlighted the dangers of the "brain-eating" amoeba Naegleria fowleri, citing an article from vaccine alliance Gavi that reported the deaths of three children in Kerala, India, and a man in Israel this year as a result of the single-celled organism.
There have also been "unconnected infections" in Pakistan and the U.S., and an outdoor swimming area in Western Australia had to close after officials detected traces of N. fowleri.
The amoeba proliferates in warm freshwater lakes and rivers but can also be found in tap water. It reaches the brain through the nose, destroying tissue and triggering primary amebic meningoencephalitis — an infection so uncommon that only 381 cases were confirmed in 2018.
However, contracting PAM is lethal and takes less than a week before it turns deadly. "It's a bull in a china shop," Dr. Dennis Conrad, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, told Live Science.
PAM can often go undetected and is perhaps more common than realized because its initial symptoms — such as headache, fever, and vomiting — are similar to meningitis, which also tends to reside in hot and humid regions.
According to a review from 2020, there's been an "especially marked" increase in the incidence rate of PAM linked to N. fowleri since the start of the century,
Why is the spread of N. fowleri concerning?
The paper states that the planet's overheating is likely driving the abundance and range of N. fowleri, similar to vector-borne diseases such as dengue and the plague.
"Many countries are already recording extreme temperatures and many people are seeking relief from the heat by immersing themselves in water that is often very warm and polluted by coliforms [gut bacteria], perfect conditions for the growth of N. fowleri," it reads.
Though they can survive freezing conditions, the amoeba develops into its infectious form in warmer environments, putting areas further north more at risk as global temperatures continue to climb.
What's being done about N. fowleri?
Antibiotics, steroids, and silver particles coated with anti-seizure drugs have effectively treated PAM triggered by N. fowleri. The Week noted that the cancer-treating drug Miltefosine has also been approved as an experimental treatment, but PAM still has a fatality rate of over 97%.
"If it's too late, it doesn't matter which drug is used; the patient will usually not survive," Julia Walochnik, a professor of tropical medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, told Live Science.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended precautionary measures such as holding your nose when diving into freshwater or boiling tap water when using nasal irrigation systems.
However, the best way to protect yourself and others is through proactive measures that keep the planet cool and, in turn, limit the spread of N. fowleri.
Reducing plastic waste by replacing single-use water bottles with reusable options or pivoting away from dirty energy through the electrification of your home are some of the many ways to help tackle rising global temperatures.
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