Nevada: Boy dies after exposure to rare brain-eating amoeba

A boy from Nevada died after exposure to an infection caused by a rare brain-eating amoeba. Health officials say the disease may be from his visit to Lake Mead. Read to know more.

What is the brain-eating amoeba?

A boy from the state of Nevada died following infection from Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba. Officials from the Southern Nevada Health District stated the boy lived in Las Vegas and might have been infected from his visit to Lake Mead. He likely was exposed to the amoeba on the Lake’s Arizona side but started developing symptoms after a week. 

While the minor was not identified, authorities revealed the patient was a male under the age of 18 and living in Clark County. Additionally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the rare organism. Naegleria fowleri enters a person’s body through the nose and causes inflammation, fever, headache, and nausea. However, it ultimately leads to seizures, and coma and can cause death. 

More on the deadly organism

As per experts at the CDC, the infection is “extremely rare, and almost always fatal”. According to reports, N.fowleri is extremely active in the summers and present in waterbodies measuring over 80 F. Hence, the CDC recommends that swimmers wear nose clips to hold their noses while swimming in warm freshwater bodies. Additionally, it is important to not disturb or dig to stir up the sediment.

“The amoeba is naturally occurring, and there is no routine test for Naegleria fowleri. Previous water testing has shown that it is regularly found in freshwater bodies and though the risk is low, recreational water users should always assume there is a risk when they enter warm fresh water,” stated the health officials. Additionally, the assured people of Las Vegas city that the drinking water is safe from the brain-eating amoeba.