Weather could be the cause of deadly amoeba

Residents in the Midwestern United States haven't heard too much about the deadly amoeba affecting swimmers down south.

The amoeba enters the human body through the nose when people are swimming in very warm lakes, streams, and rivers. It then travels to the brain, where it begins to feed. Symptoms of the amoeba's rampage to the brain begin 1 to 14 days after infection and resemble the flu. At the onset of those symptoms the amoeba victim's health swiftly declines. Exposure to the amoeba is usually fatal, but doctors say a cocktail of drugs can fight the amoeba if administered in time.

What's interesting is the fact that the CDC has only had two dozen cases of this amoeba since 1989! This year, six people have died. Health officials cannot explain the spike in cases this summer, except that weather plays a factor. "Because it's been such a hot summer, that has contributed to warmer water temperatures and lower water levels and that makes an ideal environment for the amoeba," said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine of the Arizona Department of Health, which is investigating a death last month there tied to the amoeba.

To learn more about the amoeba, the CDC has a wealth of information here.