U.S. Water News Online
TUCSON -- A brain-eating amoeba has been identified in Tucson's water supply but experts assure consumers that drinking from the city's water supply does not pose a health risk.
The killer amoeba, known as Naegleria fowleri, was found in several Tucson wells but experts say its presence in the city's water supply poses no danger to consumers.
Tucson Water chlorinates its well water before distribution, killing the amoeba before the water reaches taps, the Associated Press reports. Its presence in underground water is however a surprise to at least one expert.
"The organism is everywhere. It feeds on bacteria," the AP quotes Charles Gerba, a microbiology professor with the University of Arizona's Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science.
Naegleria fowleri can usually be found in surface water such as rivers and lakes and researchers speculate that it has thrived in underground water because of biodegradable oil used in pumps.
Last month, a 14-year-old boy died after being contaminated with the microscopic organism he came into contact with while swimming in Lake Havasu.
The amoebas enter the body through the nose and travel to the brain, where they destroy brain tissue, leading to the person's death. The only way to become infected is to snort water. A person can drink water that has Naegleria fowleri and never be infected, the AP reports.
Professor Gerba expressed concern regarding private wells. Tucson Water chlorinates its groundwater before distribution, which may not be the case with private wells.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 23 people were killed by the amoeba between 1995 and 2004. While infection with Naegleria is very rare, it most often occurs during dry summer months. The number of infections increases during years characterized by heat waves, according to the CDC.
The CDC also specifies on its official website that a person cannot become contaminated with Naegleria from a swimming pool, as long as it is properly cleaned, maintained, and chlorinated.
Likewise, Naegleria infection cannot be spread through person-to-person contact.
There is no certified treatment for the infection.
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