Scientists warn free-living amoebae that survive water treatment are a growing public health threat
Researchers writing in the journal Biocontaminant say free-living amoebae are an overlooked public health risk. Some species, including the brain-eating Naegleria fowleri, survive heat and chlorine and can shelter other pathogens from disinfection. Scientists link the rising thre
A perspective in the journal Biocontaminant describes free-living amoebae as an underappreciated public health threat. Most species are harmless, but a few cause severe disease, and the best known, Naegleria fowleri, can cause a rare and nearly always fatal infection when contaminated water enters the nose. These organisms tolerate high heat and chlorine, live inside water distribution systems, and can act as a Trojan horse that shields bacteria and viruses from disinfection. Researchers tie the growing risk to warming temperatures and aging infrastructure and call for stronger surveillance, faster diagnostics, and better water treatment.