Mexico: “Brain-Eating” Amoeba Found in Six Yucatán Lakes; Cenotes Face Lower Risk

Naegleria fowleri was detected in six artificial lakes in Yucatán, which authorities closed after a water-sports instructor died in Mérida in September. Health Secretary Alberto Alcocer said the amoeba’s presence does not mean there is an outbreak and that infection occurs when contaminated water enters through the nose. More than 300 people who had visited the lake at Plaza La Isla were identified, with about 240 still under epidemiological surveillance in mid-September. Cenotes are less conducive to the amoeba because their water is cooler and circulates.