Tap water contamination with Deadly Brain Amoeba linked to Hurricane Katrina. - Polidicks

[url]http://www.nbcnews.com/health/deadly-brain-amoeba-drinking-water-may-be-tied-katrina-4B11186085[/url] [QUOTE]School officials in an area near New Orleans have shut off water fountains and stocked up on hand sanitizer this week after a brain-eating amoeba killed a 4-year-old boy and was found thriving in the local tap water system. Water officials say they are “shocking” the St. Bernard Parish system with chlorine to try to kill off the parasite and get the water back up to a safe standard. And while health experts say the water is perfectly safe to drink, some school officials are taking no chances. They’ve shut off water fountains until they are certain. Dr. Raoult Ratard, the Louisiana state epidemiologist, says the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 may ultimately be to blame.[/QUOTE]

Talk about aftermath, jeez. Poor kid probably was in horrible pain up until his death, too.

I went to New Orleans a few years ago, it was a lot of fun and I have been wanting to go back. But I have a very, very specific fear of this thing and do not want to go anywhere near the state until it has been gone for years.

Holy shit! I'm happy I don't live in St. Bernard. Still though, my heart goes out to that kid and those poor people. Katrina really fucked alot of things up...and in a way we're still feeling the effects of it.

Take it this way: Out of all the people in New Orleans, only one has died of the Amoeba. You can't get infected with it by drinking it, because it's killed in the stomach acid. If you're taking a shower, chances are it's not had a chance to develop in the pipes between your house and the treatment facility. It's really, really difficult to get an amoeba. The real issue comes when, say, you go swimming in a lake and get them in your ear, or in your nose. Then you get brain swelling, and die. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. There have only been 130 recorded cases, and we live in a nation of 300 million+ people. That's lower than the odds of being eaten by a shark during a tornado.

Live outside New Orleans, quite worried about this. I doubt it'll get out here, but, I hope it's stopped soon.

[quote]And while health experts say the water is perfectly safe to drink[/quote] Bullshit. What happens when you're drinking water contaminated with it and you accidentally choke or hiccup while drinking it? You know when coke goes up your nose? It happens to all of us. That's all it takes and you're dead in a couple weeks if you're lucky, or less than a week after your first symptom if you're not. It's fine for it to go into your stomach and mouth. Not the nose

Safe to drink my ass.

"Brain amoebas" are by far one of the most horrific things I can imagine at the moment.

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;42230801]I went to New Orleans a few years ago, it was a lot of fun and I have been wanting to go back. But I have a very, very specific fear of this thing and do not want to go anywhere near the state until it has been gone for years.[/QUOTE] This is actually more common in New Orleans than in other parts of the country. It's why you're not supposed to use those nose/ear cleaners (neti pots) with tap water, because that caused [url=http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/fatal-infections-linked-neti-pots/story?id=15170230]2 deaths in NoLa.[/url]

[QUOTE=mugofdoom;42231396]"Brain amoebas" are by far one of the most horrific things I can imagine at the moment.[/QUOTE] Any kind of brain attacking parasite just terrifies me.

[QUOTE=Amez;42231435]Any kind of brain attacking parasite just terrifies me.[/QUOTE] I have a fear of parasites in general, eyes, brain, intestines, etc.

Hand sanitizer? I hope whoever wrote this article is fucking joking. Hand sanitizer will do nothing against it.

[QUOTE=TheTalon;42231242]Bullshit. What happens when you're drinking water contaminated with it and you accidentally choke or hiccup while drinking it? You know when coke goes up your nose? It happens to all of us. That's all it takes and you're dead in a couple weeks if you're lucky, or less than a week after your first symptom if you're not. It's fine for it to go into your stomach and mouth. Not the nose[/QUOTE] Bottom line: We're all going to die.

I bet you're all thinking of that picture of the guys brain partially eaten away by some parasite. You know the one.

[QUOTE=Alxnotorious;42231481]Hand sanitizer? I hope whoever wrote this article is fucking joking. Hand sanitizer will do nothing against it.[/QUOTE] Fun fact: Nothing can survive high concentrations of alcohol, as seen in most hand sanitizers. There isn't a single bacteria, virus or amoeba that can survive being covered in 60% ethyl alcohol.

[QUOTE=TheTalon;42231242]Bullshit. What happens when you're drinking water contaminated with it and you accidentally choke or hiccup while drinking it? You know when coke goes up your nose? It happens to all of us. That's all it takes and you're dead in a couple weeks if you're lucky, or less than a week after your first symptom if you're not. It's fine for it to go into your stomach and mouth. Not the nose[/QUOTE] im never swimming again [editline]18th September 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Alxnotorious;42231481]Hand sanitizer? I hope whoever wrote this article is fucking joking. Hand sanitizer will do nothing against it.[/QUOTE] besides kill it

[QUOTE=Shadaez;42231915]im never swimming again [editline]18th September 2013[/editline] besides kill it[/QUOTE] hand sanitizer is for your hands.. not your brain

[QUOTE=endorphinsam;42231953]hand sanitizer is for your hands.. not your brain[/QUOTE] Explain to me how you think the amoebas reach the brain

[QUOTE=Petrussen;42232223]Explain to me how you think the amoebas reach the brain[/QUOTE] Getting water splashed up your nose is a pretty decent transmission vector.

[QUOTE=woolio1;42230952]That's lower than the odds of being eaten by a shark during a tornado.[/QUOTE] I am now curious as to what the statistics of this happening are.

[QUOTE=Rangergxi;42231469]I have a fear of parasites in general, eyes, brain, intestines, etc.[/QUOTE] I have a fear of things in general, parasites, chairs, rocks, balloons, etc. [editline]18th September 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=katbug;42231336]Safe to drink my ass.[/QUOTE] Your ass being the container or the liquid itself?

[QUOTE=zombini;42231778]Fun fact: Nothing can survive high concentrations of alcohol, as seen in most hand sanitizers. There isn't a single bacteria, virus or amoeba that can survive being covered in 60% ethyl alcohol.[/QUOTE] [I]Osmosis Jones[/I] does not count as a source.

[QUOTE=Alxnotorious;42232959][I]Osmosis Jones[/I] does not count as a source.[/QUOTE] Are you telling me I can't drink the cancer away

[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;42232981]Are you telling me I can't drink the cancer away[/QUOTE] No. You have to have a sentient white blood cell in your body voiced by Chris Rock.

am i dreaming? there is an amoeba that actually eats your brain? i am so i cant believe this but wow ive never heard of this i have to research i t on the wikipedia i watched a video on youtbue: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA3sCUXouOc[/media]