Lake Havasu and Brain-Eating Amoebas

Above, Lake Havasu, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While I was at Lake Havasu, Arizona last week, friend Mitch Geriminsky told me that he hasn't been in the waters of Lake Havasu for three years due to amoebas in the water.

I've heard of brain-eating amoebas before. They dwell in freshwater lakes and rivers in temperatures up to around 115°.

I did a Google check on this and found a recent news story by KTAR News.

It begins with:

PHOENIX — Health officials said a suspected case of a rare brain-eating amoeba in Arizona turned out to be negative for the infection.

Specimens of the suspected case of Naegleria Fowleri were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing and determined to not be positive, Eugene Livar, assistant director of public health preparedness for the Arizona Department of Health Services, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.

The suspected case occurred in Mohave County.

Naegleria Fowleri infections typically occur when people go swimming, diving or put their heads under fresh water, such as lakes or rivers.

The infection cannot be spread between people.

The only positive case of brain-eating amoeba from Lake Havasu occurred in 2007.

To read more, go here.