This podcast is from a February 2015 radio interview with Sybil Meister. Sybil is the mother of Koral Reef Meister Pier, a young lady from California who contracted the rarely encountered parasite, Balamuthia mandrillaris in March 2013.
Unfortunately, Koral lost her battle against the 95% fatal amoeba in Oct. 2014.
I had the opportunity and honor to talk to Sybil and their family friend, Ebony Parker about Koral’s life and her Balamuthia infection.
Visit and support the Team Koral Reef Amoeba awareness Facebook page
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Balamuthia infection is very rare but often causes fatal disease. Since Balamuthia was first discovered in 1986, about 200 cases of infection have been reported worldwide. This number includes at least 70 confirmed cases in the United States.
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Related:
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- Naegleria fowleri: An interview with Dr Jennifer Cope
- Soil amoeba blamed in the deaths of two organ transplant recipients
- Acanthamoeba: A rare and potentially blinding parasite
- London eye doctors see doubling in Acanthamoeba keratitis, start contact lens care campaign
- Balamuthia: Profounda receives Orphan Drug Designation to use miltefosine for treatment
- Miltefosine and the 4th Naegleria fowleri survivor: Talking with Profounda CEO, Todd MacLaughlan
- Arkansas girl, Kali Hardig making great progress in her recovery, What is this experimental anti-amoeba drug?
Hi, I know how this sounds but I have to say it…… I think I have an amoeba in my brain…. I was prescribed high dose steroids and about a week or so after that I started getting strange crawling sensations in my head, neck stiffness, sensitivity to light and heat. I also have an inability to turn my head left or right and unbearable headaches. I went to a primary care physician and she did a neurological exam and I failed. She referred me to a neurologist, unfortunately he was very narcissistic and kept saying it was headaches although he wanted to look at a recent MRI. I was so disappointed that he was trying to diagnose me without looking at any results from any tests I stopped going. I have trouble getting medical help a lot since I am alone and am uninsured. I’m looking into Medicaid. I did go to another neurologist over the summer and she said I would possibly need brain surgery because of an MRI. I don’t know what to do my symptoms keep getting worse day by day. I scheduled an appointment with a primary Docter which will not be for another two months due too not having any openings sooner… I don’t know what to do if you merely mention this stuff to professionals they think your a hypochondriac or mentally unstable given its rarity. I know it’s definitely not the amoeba from water niagleria because I would be dead already but my symptoms seem similar to other types of amoeba. Thanks for your time and no this isn’t a prank : (