You read from time to time about those brain amoebas that get in through your nose while swimming or whatever in infested water. A while back there was an article about people using tap water in a Neti-Pot and it turns out it was contaminated and they got brain amoebas and died.

Every time I shower now, if I get water up my nose while washing my face, I freak out. I'm being paranoid for nothing, right?

Disclaimer: I have city water, not well water.

5/15/2012 11:30:33 PM

You've been watching too much House.

5/15/2012 11:37:35 PM

You could inhale lots of water and probably never get a brain amoeba.

You have insane amounts of bacteria trying to kill you right now, that your body is constantly fighting off (it's one of the reasons animals decompose so quickly when we die-- the bacteria start to win this battle when we're no longer making more white blood cells).

There is most likely a flesh-eating bacteria on your body right now, that's being kept at bay buy your immune system. It's the nature of existence. Brain amoebas are the least of your concern.

And city water isn't necessarily cleaner than well water...
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/portland_reservoir_urination_r.html

They routinely find dead animals, paint cans, and various other types of refuse in their water reservoirs that go STRAIGHT to your tap. Any city water supply is going to be exposed to similar types of contaminants. But the volume of water is so large compared to the contaminants it doesn't matter, including the fact that this is the specific reason they add chlorine and fluoride to the water supply (it helps kill the germs).

[Edited on May 16, 2012 at 1:08 AM. Reason : ]

5/16/2012 1:04:57 AM

^thanks. I tend to get real paranoid about stuff like this. Especially when the news runs stories like DEATH FROM TAP WATER IN NETI-POT....

5/16/2012 8:41:20 AM

I figure for a guy that's been pdrankin, you'd have to qualms about what you drink.

5/16/2012 8:58:04 AM

lol@ a user called pdrankin worried about his drinking water being contaminated.


^,dammit.

[Edited on May 16, 2012 at 9:01 AM. Reason : .]

5/16/2012 9:01:14 AM

hahaha, not what I drink....I'll drink anything. What goes up my nose though....well that's a different story.

5/16/2012 9:11:19 AM

ingested amoebas can enter your bloodstream as well. Also, putting something in your mouth doesn't guarantee it can't get into your sinuses. For some fucked up reason our digestive and respiratory systems are intertwined. (it's because Evolution, but I digress).

5/16/2012 9:35:15 AM

THE QUARRY IN DURHAM

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/16/2012 10:24:52 AM

I've swam in Lake Johnson, Lake Raleigh, Jordan Lake, and the Eno Quarry. Sometimes gross water, haven't died yet. There are better things in life to get worried about.

5/16/2012 11:14:38 AM

I had a distant family member die from one of these brain amoebas down in Florida. Apparently they become active after a body of water gets above ~80 degrees and the water is a bit stagnant. He was water skiing and stuff on a lake and he died a few days later.

5/16/2012 11:45:12 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri#United_States

Average of about 3 deaths/year in the US.

5/16/2012 1:49:00 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year

32,885 a year

Hell, Lightning:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats/light08.pdf

~50 deaths a year.

[Edited on May 16, 2012 at 2:47 PM. Reason : Hell Lightning sounds really scary]

5/16/2012 2:47:12 PM

Quote :

"Every time I shower now, if I get water up my nose while washing my face, I freak out. I'm being paranoid for nothing, right? "

wow. make sure you don't swallow any watermelon seeds either...

5/16/2012 2:56:57 PM

^

5/16/2012 4:23:51 PM

jbrick is on point. Statistically, its kinda dumb to worry about this.

5/16/2012 7:30:45 PM

my friend got struck by hell lightning.

5/16/2012 8:41:24 PM

Highly relevant, and perhaps more worrying.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/17/health/flesh-eating-bacteria-explainer/index.html

5/17/2012 1:56:11 AM

^

Quote :

"250 cases occur every year"

still not worried

5/17/2012 3:18:25 AM

^^

Quote :

"Average of about 3 deaths/year in the US."

Keep taking your showers with this chicken little:

5/17/2012 7:31:37 AM

have you ever traveled abroad?

we had to make damn sure we didnt drink any of the water or let it get in our noses or eyes in ecuador, thats for damn sure.

brushing teeth with bottled water while inside city limits.

i mean, its all fun as hell for sure..

dirty food will still kill you faster (imo). dont order spaghetti there.

5/17/2012 12:02:12 PM

Sad story... She will basically lose all her limbs.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/18/us-usa-georgia-infection-idUSBRE84H10320120518

(flesh eating bacteria, not brain eating amoebas)

5/18/2012 11:35:44 PM

^ since we're on the topic of flesh eating bacteria...

I'm going camping outside of Asheville this July, and the lake on the property (allegedly) has some sort of nasty bacteria that's affecting the flesh of the fish. The story is that they'll have to drain and clean the lake. However, even if that happens, I don't think I'll be jumping in anytime soon. Can't the bacteria live in the lake muck at the bottom? If the lake is drained, will that ensure that the bacteria will be eliminated? Swimming in that lake was soooo awesome, but now I'm freaked out by it.

5/19/2012 11:16:45 AM

swim in the lake, it's not going to hurt you.

5/19/2012 11:20:07 AM

^^ i don't know about that particular case, but going by what i know if biology, yes they can survive in the muck.

unless they will somehow completely drain and dry the lake bed (so dry that the bed cracks) and let the sun shine on it for a few weeks. that should theoretically kill off the bacteria.

5/19/2012 11:26:16 AM

just slather yourself in purell head to toe and you'll die or be fine.



[Edited on May 19, 2012 at 1:51 PM. Reason : . ]

5/19/2012 1:51:22 PM

too many flesh eating bastards on the news lately

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2146927/Flesh-eating-bacteria-Aimee-Copeland-critical-condition-zip-line-accident.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147743/Second-victim-flesh-eating-bacteria-clings-life-following-SEVEN-operations-days-giving-birth-twins.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147707/Bobby-Vaughn-victim-of-flesh-eating-bacteria-Georgia.html

5/21/2012 7:44:03 PM

fuck why cant we just clorox the lakes

5/21/2012 7:49:50 PM

5/21/2012 7:52:21 PM