Brain Eating Ameoba!? Protect Your Family With Harmsco's LT2 1 Micron Absolute Filtration System Which Adds Protection From Naegleria Fowleri

Amoebic meningitis is a disease that causes inflammation and eventual destruction of the brain and brain linings. It is caused by a single-celled amoeba that lives in fresh water. The amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, is able to survive in soil for extended, possibly indefinite periods of time and still reactivate when put in fresh water.

“Cerebral infection by Naegleria fowleri is strictly waterborne and although rare is usually fatal. Since these amoebae are able to colonize piped water supplies, disinfection at the water source may not adequately control them unless the disinfectant pervades the whole distribution system.” (Amoeba Response Protocol; Government of Western Australia 2013)

Naegleria are most likely to enter a water supply system at the source or at breaks in the sealed system such as open reservoirs and tanks. Under favorable conditions, they can proliferate in pipe work and tanks. Under unfavorable condition, Naegleria can encyst and when in this state are more resistant to disinfection, readily surviving in tank sediments and pipe bio film. Unless chlorine residual is continuous, decystation to the active trophozoite form will remain a threat.

The amoeba generally do not pose a threat when you consume them in drinking water, but can be deadly if they get access to your nose, such as from a neti pot or, theoretically, by immersing your head in contaminated bath water or inhaling the water through your nose in the shower.

Center for Disease Control’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases Recommends filtration with a 1 micron absolute filter, “given the size of Naegleria in relation to Giarda and Crypto, 1 micron absolute filters should be effective for filtering out Naegleria.” Naegleria is in the 8-15 micron range whereas cryptosporidium is in the 3-7 micron range.