Nervous+System+Protozoa

__Nervous System Protozoa__:
//Naegleria fowleri// Domain: Eukaryota Phylum: Percolozoa Class: Heterolobosea Order: Schizopyrenida Family: Vahlkampfiidae Genus: //Naegleria// Species: //N. fowleri//

//Naegleria fowleri// is more commonly known as the "Brain Eating Amoeba." It was first founded in Britain in the year 1909, but it is believed to have evolved in the United States. //N. fowleri// causes the infection Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (or "PAM").

__Habitat__:
//Naegleria fowleri//is typically found in warm bodies of fresh water such as: //Naegleria fowleri// is normally found in the Southern or Southwestern region of the United States, like Florida or Texas, because of the warm climate.
 * Warm lakes, ponds, and rock pits
 * Mud puddles
 * Warm, slow-flowing rivers, especially those with low water levels
 * Untreated swimming pools and spas
 * Untreated well water or untreated municipal water
 * Hot springs and other geothermal water sources
 * Thermally polluted water, such as runoff from power plants
 * Aquariums
 * Soil, including indoor dust

__Species Interactions__:
//Naegleria fowleri// is at the bottom of the food chain, because it is a Protozoan, or an amoeba. They feed on the human brain, however, it is by accident that they do so. //N. fowleri// feeds on bacteria as does any other parasite. When it enters the human body, that does not necessarily mean that the person is immediately affected. //Naegleria fowleri// must be ingested through the nasal cavity where it would have direct contact with the brain, to cause an infection. In this case, infection would most likely occur if one was diving, skiing, or anything having to do with water.

//Naegleria fowleri// developed what is called a flagella so it could swim around more efficiently when feeding on the human brain.



__Reprod____uction__:
//Naegleria fowleri// has 3 stages in their life style: Cyst, trophozoite, and a flagellate. They mature when exposed to iconic concentration, like in distilled water. This maturation occurs in a few, short minutes. This species reproduces using binary fission.

__Diagnosis__:
//Naegleria fowleri// enters the nervous system when ingested through the nose. It begins to eat away brain cells with a unique "sucking apparatus" that extends from it's cellular body; causing it to become a pathogen which is a bacterium that can cause disease called Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (or "PAM"). There is, however, Amphotecricin B that is used to treat //N. fowleri// in vitro, but chances are still slight because survival remains less than 1%. There has been many other experiments with different substances in the hopes of finding something that could cure the disease. The only thing that has proven to be effective is Chlorpromazine, which was most therapeutic.