SEUL Dec 26 South Korea detects first case of amoeba infection species of Negleria Fowler that enters the human brain, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
"KDCA confirms for the first time Naegleria fowleri infection in a deceased (patient. — Approx. ed.) with brain meningitis, who recently returned from abroad,» the agency said.
The victim spent four months in Thailand, after which he returned to South Korea on December 10. He died 11 days later, the man had headaches, fever, vomiting, speech dysfunction and other symptoms.After additional tests, the health authorities confirmed that he was infected with the amoeba Naegleria Fowler.
This is the first official case in South Korea. The KDCA will investigate the exact route of the patient's infection, but it is noted that contact with contaminated water is the main way to get the infection, which enters the body through the nose and migrates to the person's brain. Amoeba can cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, an infection of the brain. Symptoms of infection develop quickly and the infection is fatal, so early detection of the disease is important.