Los Algodones Mexicali Valley - Amoeba

Mexicali, Mexico -
Health officials in Baja California say potential drownings are not the only danger people need to be aware of if they choose to swim in a canal.
The state's Secretary of Health says his office has discovered evidence of the so-called "free living amoeba" in canals all over the Mexicali Valley.
The amoeba lives in canal water and can enter the human body through the nose, mouth or even ears, and can cause high fevers as well as meningitis, which can lead to death.
So far this year no deaths from the amoeba have been reported, but the Baja California department of health says there is no treatment or cure for the amoeba, which has killed several people in the past.
They say the only way to avoid becoming infected with the amoeba is to avoid going into canals where the microorganism thrives.