Brain-eating amoeba kills Nebraska child after river swim

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A child in Nebraska has died after developing a suspected infection from the so-called “brain-eating amoeba” Naegleria fowleri, likely caught while swimming in a river.

The Douglas County Health Department says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting further tests to confirm the infection, thought acquired after a swim in the Elkhorn River at the weekend.

Health officials have not provided additional biographic information about the child, The Omaha World-Herald reports.

The single-cell organism is commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba” as it can cause a rare but almost always fatal brain infection — primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

This is caused by water containing the amoeba rushing up the nose and reaching the brain — possible when a person is swimming.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says that if the CDC is able to confirm the child’s cause of death, it would be the first known death from the amoeba in the state’s history.

Naegleria is found in many freshwater sources such as rivers, lakes, and streams, and is found further north in the US during summer when waters warm and the flow slows as levels drop.

A statement released by county health officials describes the symptoms, which usually occur between one to twelve days following infection. They may include headache, fever, nausea or vomiting.

These symptoms may progress to a stiff neck, confusion, seizures, and other neurological symptoms. Death occurs in 97 per cent of cases within about five days of symptoms starting.

“We can only imagine the devastation this family must be feeling, and our deepest condolences are with them. We can honour the memory of this child by becoming educated about the risk and then taking steps to prevent infection,” Douglas County Health Director Dr Lindsay Huse said.

Dr Matthew Donahue, the Nebraska state epidemiologist, notes that out of the millions of people who participate in freshwater recreational activities, there are typically only eight infections identified in the US each year.

In late June, a Missouri resident died after being infected with the organism while swimming at Lake of Three Fires State Park in southwest Iowa.

State health officials and the CDC confirmed the presence of the amoeba in the lake and closed the beach at the park. It reopened in late July after testing was complete.

The public is warned to take care when engaging in activities in which water can be forced up the nose, including jumping, diving, and dunking, as well as waterskiing or tubing. Nose clips or plugs can prevent exposure when going underwater.

You cannot get an infection by drinking water in which the amoeba is present, nor from swimming in a pool that has not been properly cleaned or maintained.

Testing of natural water sources is not generally recommended, because the organism is present in so many places and there is no confirmed relationship between the presence and concentration of the amoeba and the risk of infection.