2023
Author(s): Ward L, Sherchan S
The free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri (Nf) inhabits the soil and natural waters worldwide: it is thermophilic and thrives at temperatures up to 45 degrees C and in a multitude of environments. Three deaths occurred in Louisiana due to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Nf infection in 2011 and 2013. Following these incidents, public water systems are now monitored for the presence of Nf in Louisiana. From 2014 to 2018, 29% (27/93) of samples collected showed positive for Nf and 68% (63/93) showed all thermophilic amoeba culture. Ten raw water sources and 17 distribution system waters tested positive. 2017 showed the highest number of samples with Nf (n = 10) followed by nine samples in 2015. As climate change increases surface water temperatures, continued testing for Nf prevalence will be an important facet of water monitoring and will need to extend into locations farther north than the current most common range.