Braineater among us!

In a Nutshell series                                                                                                                         Šimon Petránek

Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba (měňavka) and it has a terrifying nickname - the brain eater. Amoeba is a really small organism which can put itself into different stages in order to survive. It is life threatening even for us humans, however the risk you catch this amoeba is very low. In a decade just a few hundred people had amoeba but in 97% cases their end was the same - death. Don't worry, it's not that bad as it seems. Amoeba feeds primarily on bacterias. Let's take a closer look at this so-called brain eater!

There are many various bacterias and organisms in the lakes, pools and rivers which do not represent a risk to our body because our immune system takes care of them. Naegleria fowleri can be there as well, even in hot tubs, swimming pools, spas, pipes and fountains if they are not cleaned properly. That's where amoeba encounters people the most.

The amoeba can enter our body in water particles mainly through the nose. First of all, the amoeba doesn't really want to be inside your nose, it just wants to eat some bacteria. Naegleria fowleri is resistant to most of our immune system, so it just flows into your nose to olfactory nerve cells. Amoeba is interested in these cells because it is attracted to the chemicals, these cells are exchanged to capture the smell and send them to the brain. There´s the only chance where the immune system can rip the amoeba apart or destroy her chemically. If not, amoeba continues to hunt the chemical (concretely acetylcholine) where it is being sent - the brain cells.

There is no way back now, the amoeba begins to eat the defenseless brain cells - that's the point when we can feel something is wrong. Now it escalates quickly. It starts with a headache, then fever, vomiting and finally with fatigue and hallucinations. Immune system is in panic, the amoeba thrives in heat so the fever is only getting better for the impostor. Immune system is not exactly a careful fighter, it is like burning down a forest to kill wolves inside it - a bad idea in the brain.

Nevertheless, we are way more likely to drown in the water than get infected by it. Amoeba has to get a good grip in your nose and has to come through our first line of defenses by the olfactory cells.

So keep calm, keep bathing, keep swimming!

link for the video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OPg-ksxZ4Y