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. 1977 Dec;34(6):701–705. doi: 10.1128/aem.34.6.701-705.1977

Isolation of the etiological agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis from artifically heated waters.

A R Stevens, R L Tyndall, C C Coutant, E Willaert
PMCID: PMC242733  PMID: 596872

Abstract

To determine whether artificial heating of water by power plant discharges facilitates proliferation of the pathogenic free-living amoebae that cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, water samples (250 ml) were taken from discharges within 3,000 feet (ca. 914.4 m) of power plants and were processed for amoeba culture. Pathogenic Naegleria fowleri grew out of water samples from two of five lakes and rivers in Florida and from one of eight man-made lakes in Texas. Pathogenic N. fowleri did not grow from water samples taken from cooling towers and control lakes, the latter of which had no associated power plants. The identification of N. fowleri was confirmed by pathogenicity in mice and by indirect immunofluorescence analyses, by using a specific antiserum.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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