North Carolina child dies of rare brain infection linked to swimming in private pond

A North Carolina child died of a brain infection caused by an amoeba last week after swimming in a private pond, public health officials said on Tuesday.

The illness claimed the child’s life on Friday after swimming in a pond near her home earlier this month, the state Department of Health and Human Resources said. The amoeba that caused the disease occurs naturally in fresh water.

“Our sincere condolences and sympathies go out to the family and friends of this child,” State epidemiologist Zack Moore said in a statement. “Although these infections are very rare, it is an important reminder that this amoeba is found in North Carolina and that there are steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection when swimming. in summer.”

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the Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the disease was caused by Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled amoeba that infects the brain.

Symptoms start with a severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, which can progress to a stiff neck, seizures, coma and can lead to death.

Infections are rare but usually occur during long periods of hot weather. Naegleria fowleri grows best at high temperatures of up to 115 degrees.

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The organism does not cause illness if swallowed, but can be fatal if forced into the nose, which can occur when jumping and diving in water and water skiing, among others. aquatic activities. Health officials recommend avoiding swimming in freshwater during times of high temperatures and low water levels.

From 1962 to 2019, only 147 people in the United States were knowingly infected with Naegleria fowleri, officials said. North Carolina has had six cases during this period.

Earlier this month, a 7-year-old Californian boy died from a brain-eating amoeba after swimming in a lake. David Pruitt had been diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by Naegleria fowleri.