 In the Hot Spring In late July, 11-year-old Will Sellars went wakeboarding at a lake in Orlando. By early August he was dead. Now his parents have launched a public awareness campaign to warn others. Fourteen-year-old Aaron Evans of Arizona suffered a similar fate. At the start of September, he was a happy boy enjoying the late summer. By the end of the month, after a trip to Lake Havasu in Arizona, Aaron had also passed away.
The Centers For Disease Control said Will and Aaron died because of a killer water-borne amoeba known as naegleria fowleria. Health officials said the amoeba enters the body usually through the nose, mouth or ears when a person submerges their head in the water. The amoeba is able to penetrate the nasal mucosa and then infiltrate the nervous system and travel back to the brain.
Health experts like state epidemiologist Dr. Mack Sewell said it's rare -- about 23 cases in 10 years nationwide -- but it has happened here in New Mexico, and it's happening more and more often. Since the beginning of this year, six children have died across the nation.
The New Mexico case happened near Silver City about 15 years ago. A man swimming in the San Francisco hot springs had one of the amoebas enter his body through the nose. A travel guide to another of New Mexico's most popular attractions even warns visitors of the possibility of the fowleri amoeba.
Thousands every year come up to the Jemez Springs in the Santa Fe National Forest. One visitor seemed thankful for the note of caution about submerging one's head in the water. Action 7 News bottled some water from the Jemez Springs and sent it to a lab at the University of Arizona where testing is done.
All of the test water came back negative, showing no sign of the killer ameoba.
Experts said that hot springs and shallow waters during warm summer months are breeding grounds for the amoeba, and caution that if global warming continues, high temperatures could cause more occurences for the naegleria fowleri.
To protect yourself from the killer ameoba health experts advise to keep your head above the water when visiting hot springs. The CDC also recommends avoiding swimming or jumping into fresh water during periods of high temperatures and low water volume. Experts also advise the use of nose clips (or holding your nose) when jumping or diving into lakes, rivers or hot springs. Finally, avoid digging or stirring up the sediment while swimming in shallow, warm fresh water areas.
Visit: greatsoaks.com. |
