See the link below for a disease that has affected about 100 people in the US since 1960. It is contracted by swimming in a few lakes which have sediment that can stir up amoeba. This amoeba called Naegleria Fowlerie and can infect the neurons through the nasal cavity. Eating their way through neurons from the neural cavity to the brain causes almost a complete destruction of the brain.
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This is such a fascinating study topic since these amoeba are only found in warm lakes and they have to infect a people through their noses.
Is this a “Neglected disease”? Is this important to work on ? Yes. However, it leads to questioning what is an important disease to work on? Is a neglected disease one in which many more people are affected but still less than a full blown epidemic?
How does a scientist choose to work on a neglected disease ? How do they make a decision on the topic to work on that is important? It is possible that most scientist decide to work on a topic that pique’s their curiosity rather than label a disease – Neglected disease.