The Genesis of the “Brain-Eating” Amoeba

Author(s)

Alan L. Gillen, Liberty UniversityFollow
Jonathan Augusta
Kurt Schneckenburger

Publication Date

6-19-2019

Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Biology

Abstract

The Creator made all creatures, including amoebas, with variation and plasticity in their genome for global differences of climate, terrain, and environment. God made all creatures to multiply and fill the earth. Diversification and speciation from the original kind would be normal even in a perfect world. Naegleria fowleri is a global amoeba pathogen that is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), thus termed “brain-eating.” Many people are evidently exposed, based upon antibody levels, to this amoeba while swimming in warm waters. Only a small percentage succumb to the germ, but once invasion happens, only about 1% survive. Because it is such a devastating disease, most people do not survive the infection. This common pathogen is a free-living ameboflagellate present in very warm water during the summer time.

Recommended Citation

Gillen, Alan L.; Augusta, Jonathan; and Schneckenburger, Kurt, "The Genesis of the “Brain-Eating” Amoeba" (2019). Faculty Publications and Presentations. 123.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/bio_chem_fac_pubs/123