Scientists sound the alarm as dangerous amoebas spread globally

Article excerpt

Free-living amoebae, single-celled organisms that thrive in warm water, are spreading globally and may pose a far greater public health threat than previously recognized. These microscopic predators can cause deadly infections in humans and create protective biofilms that shield other dangerous pathogens from standard water treatment methods. Scientists warn that climate change, which raises water temperatures, combined with aging water infrastructure in many developed nations, could accelerate their proliferation and make them harder to eliminate through conventional safety measures.