The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed in a press release that the boy died on Friday “after developing a disease caused by an amoeba that occurs naturally in fresh water,” known as Naegleria fowleri. . The boy died on August 7 of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a devastating brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri , a microscopic amoeba found in warm bodies of fresh water, such as lakes, rivers and hot springs.
It can initially cause headaches, fever, nausea, and vomiting, but as it develops, it can lead to a stiff neck, seizures, and coma. It has a death rate of more than 97%, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Â
How did you get infected?
Probably while swimming in a lake near his residence in central North Carolina, since ingesting water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri does not cause an infection . The amoeba enters the nose from the water and, there, the organism can enter the brain and destroy brain tissue.
The North Carolina boy’s death comes less than a week after a California boy died from a similar infection. David Pruitt died on August 13.
As there is no way to eliminate this amoeba from freshwater bodies, in warmer areas where this infection has been more common, certain precautions are recommended.
The only way to prevent infection from this amoeba is to avoid swimming in freshwater bodies , according to the statement. If you want to swim in fresh water, it is advisable not to put your head under water or use nose clips to avoid allowing the water to rise through the nose.
Â
