VietNamNet Bridge - Dr. Phan Van Hieu, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Centre of Forensic Medicine, said the Saigon boy who recently died of brain-eating amoeba, had no contact with rivers and lakes, so he might be infected with the parasite from the air.

The second death by brain eating amoeba confirmed

"On August 12, right after the patient died, we had pathology tests and determined that this is the brain abscess caused by brain eating amoeba, not due to other causes," Dr. Hieu said.

Explaining why the patient only lied on the bed and did not come in contact with water from ponds or lakes but he still caught the brain eating amoeba, Dr. Hieu said that the boy could be infected through the air.

"According to the world medical documents, amoeba lives in the soil, so the air can also have amoeba," Hieu said.

However, the doctor advised people not to panic because by the possibility that amoeba causing human disease is very rare.

"People can be exposed to the amoeba, but not everyone is sick. This is like everyone is exposed to bacteria but not everyone is infected. Particularly those with weakened immune systems may be more susceptible", Dr. Hieu analysis.

Contrary to the statements of Dr. Hieu, parasite experts said amoeba Naegleria fowleri can not survive in the soil and air. "Brain eating amoeba can exist only in fresh water such as rivers and lakes. This amoeba will die soon on land", said a parasite specialist.

Parasite experts in Ho Chi Minh City said that brain eating amoeba is different from the amoeba that causes intestinal disease. The mode of transmission of the first is compromising through the nasal mucosa into the brain. So if water containing amoeba Nagleria fowleri but it is only used to drink it is difficult to be infected with brain eating amoeba because amoeba can only enter the body through the nasal mucosa.

The Preventive Medicine Agency also confirmed that meningitis caused by Naegleria fowleri is a rare disease but the mortality rate is very high. Over the past 49 years (from 1962 to 2011), the United States recorded only 123 cases.

Protozoan Naegleria fowleri autotrophically live in fresh water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs) in the tropical and subtropical climates. It can enter the body through the nasal mucosa and cause diseases.

With the second death related to brain eating amoeba, epidemiological investigation of the HCM City Preventive Health Center shows that a week before being hospitalized, the patient often smashed his head on the floor, no vomiting. He ate rice soup, drank boiled water and was not choked with water.

Two days before going to hospital, he had a fever and took antipyretics. At noon of August 12, he was discovered to have cyanosis and was brought to the Hospital of District 6. The boy died there. The cause is determined as brain abscess.

The boy absolutely did not have contact with water sources such as ponds, lakes, rivers, etc. He only used tap water. He only drank boiled water.

According to the HCM City Preventive Health Center, this case is not related to epidemiological factors and the sources of disease is not clear.

Compiled by Mai Nguyen