What is Naegleria fowleri? Nevada boy dies of ‘brain-eating amoeba’ infection after swimming in Lake Mead
CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA: A young Nevada boy's death has reportedly been linked to a rare brain-eating amoeba infection. Officials believe the teenager whose identity is not revealed could have contracted it while swimming on the Arizona side of Lake Mead.
The boy, a Clark county resident believed to be under 18 may have been exposed to Naegleria fowleri while swimming at the lake and was reportedly sick for a week after the swim. According to an investigation by Southern Nevada Health, the boy after being exposed to the lake began exhibiting signs of infection in early October, as per Daily Mail. Naegleria fowleri is extremely rare, with only 31 cases reported in the US between 2012 through 2021, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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"My condolences go out to the family of this young man," said Dr Fermin Leguen, District Health Officer for the Health District. Dr Leguen added, "While I want to reassure the public that this type of infection is an extremely rare occurrence, I know this brings no comfort to his family and friends at this time." A Nebraska boy as recent as August died of the infection after having been exposed while swimming in the Elkhorn River, which crosses through the Omaha area. Before him, a Missouri man contracted the infection in early July after swimming in the Lake of Three Fires in southwestern Iowa. He died about a week later. as per The Guardian.
What is Naegleria fowleri?
Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that "literally eats the brain tissue," according to parasitic disease expert Dr Anjan Debnath from the University of California, San Diego. The rare infection is common during the summer months, as the amoeba thrives in warm freshwater settings such as hot springs and lakes. The majority of infections are diagnosed in young males, especially those under age 14. The infection is known to be fatal over 97 percent of the time. In the US, there were 143 infections from 1962 through 2017. All but four of them were fatal, according to Daily Mail.
The amoeba can also lurk in improper water i.e. insufficiently sanitized water through chlorination, in pools, private ponds, and even tap water can lead to deadly exposure to the infection as well. The amoeba travels up the nose, where it has direct access to the brain and once a person's olfactory nerve in the nose is exposed, they will experience the symptoms typically within one to nine days. The early-stage symptoms are similar to those of the flu. The symptoms worsen over time and include severe neurological issues like seizures, hallucinations, confusion, and coma. Those who are infected will usually die within five days of symptoms first appearing, as per NSW Health.
