Kansan dies after being infected by brain-eating amoeba

[proud2BlibKansan]

TOPEKA | A Kansas resident died this week from what was likely a rare infection by a brain-eating amoeba, giving the state its first documented case, public health officials said today.

State and local officials warned residents to avoid activities in warm rivers, lakes and other bodies of heated, fresh water, including ponds near power plants. They said people shouldn’t dig into or stir up sediment or put their head under water in such places.

Single deaths from such infections also have been reported this summer in Florida, Louisiana and Virginia. The Centers for Disease Control has said about 120 cases, nearly all of them fatal, have been reported since the early 1960s.

The Kansas victim was from Sedgwick County, but health officials declined to release more information to protect the person’s privacy.

Sedgwick County spokeswoman Amanda Matthews said the person apparently went swimming in August in the city lake in Winfield, about 30 miles southeast of Wichita, then entered a hospital Aug. 19 complaining of headaches, developed breathing problems and died five days later.



Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/09/3131779/kansan-dies-after-being-infected.html#ixzz1XaWhG4AV

[Auntie Bush]

1. Wha a horrible death that must be!

I can't imagine having my brain eaten.

[The Doctor.]

4. Uh-oh... 'Imagination' is usually the first thing they go for.

:hide:

[ingac70]

2. Monsters Inside Me

http://health.discovery.com/videos/monsters-inside-me-brain-eating-amoeba.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Kicking this so more folks will see...

That is just horrifying.

My condolences to the family and all who loved that person...

[WinkyDink]

5. People no longer have "privacy" as to ID when they are dead.

[Cirque du So-What]

9. I fail to see WTF your comment has to do with the topic at hand

but if you really want to get into medical ethics with regard to confidentiality postmortem, you won't find a whole helluva lot of support for your position. After all, it's not like the brain-eating amoeba is contagious.

Here's an example, from an AMA position paper on that exact subject:

All information contained within a deceased patient’s medical record, including information entered postmortem, should be kept confidential to the greatest possible degree. However, the obligation to safeguard patient confidences is subject to certain exceptions that are ethically and legally justifiable because of overriding societal considerations (Opinion 5.05: Confidentiality). At their strongest, confidentiality protections after death would be equal to those in force during a patient’s life. Thus, if information about a patient may be ethically disclosed during life, it likewise may be disclosed after the patient has died.

http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/code-medical-ethics/5051a.pdf

So...is there any compelling reason to reveal the identity of a person who has contracted that amoeba while they're still alive? I contend that NO, there is NOT, therefore, what value is to be gained from revealing the person's identity AFTER they've died? I cite the above link for ethical consideration. It's one thing to toss out meaningless asides, but quite another to find validity or justification in such a position.

[The Doctor.]

6. Icky-kick.

Don't go swimming in those bodies.

Luckily, you're more likely to be killed by lightning. It's quicker too.

[gordianot]

7. Are Republicans and Tea Party immune? I'm bad!

[Shagbark Hickory]

8. Michelle Bachman seems to be able to lead a normal life with this affliction.

[flpab]

10. We had a beautiful teen die last month in my town from that

She swam in the St John's River, enters through the eyes, nose, ears, cuts, etc. Her family had no insurance and thought she just had the flu so when she went to the er it was full blown. They took her to Shands in Gainesville but she died several days later. I see those people walking in that flood water and that freaks me out.

[GoCubsGo]

11. Actually, it only infects via the mucous membranes.

One can't get it through the eyes, ears or cuts. You pretty much have to snort the water in through your nose. Those folks walking in the flood water will not likely contract this parasite, unless they get that water up their nose. That's provided the parasite is even present there.

[WCGreen]

13. It wouldn't be likely as they prefer near stagnant water...

[stranger81]

12. OMG . . . . this is my hometown lake.

So many summers spent camping and swimming at the Winfield City Lake. I've heard it's been really low and dirty all year, but this is shocking.

[stranger81]

14. The article says there are warning signs up at the lake now,

but folks in Winfield are telling me otherwise.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Isn't the Walnut Valley Festival just starting?

Some friends just left to go down there.

[stranger81]

16. It starts on the 14th this year, I think. [n/t]