Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a water-based protozoan found naturally in soil and warm waters. The deaths of two children due to N. fowleri in the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area occurred in 2002, and the drinking water obtained from groundwater was found to be the source of the exposure. A survey was conducted of municipal drinking water wells in central and southern Arizona. N. fowleri was identified in 11 of 143 wells tested. The calculated Ct (chlorine concentration × time) for N. fowleri cysts by free chlorine was 31 for a 99% reduction at room temperature, pH 7.5 and trophozoites 6. Chlorination can be used to control N. fowleri transmission via drinking water with appropriate guidance related to proper dosages and contact times.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Giardia and Cryptosporidium |
| Subtitle of host publication | From Molecules to Diseases |
| Publisher | CABI Publishing |
| Pages | 238-247 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781845933913 |
| State | Published - Feb 25 2009 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Veterinary
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences