Child likely died of brain-eating amoeba after swim in Nebraska river, officials say
A child is believed to have died from a brain-amoeba infection this week, possibly acquired while swimming in a Nebraska river, according to health officials.
If officials confirm the child died of Naegleria fowleri — commonly called a brain-eating amoeba — it will mark the first death of its kind in Nebraska.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is testing to confirm what killed the child, according to the Douglas County Health Department.
Naegleria fowleri can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an infection in the brain, after water containing the amoeba goes through the nose.
“The infection is extremely rare, but nearly always fatal,” health officials said.
Nebraska state epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Donahue said typically only up to eight Naegleria fowleri infections are confirmed each year, usually later in the summer as water warms and slows.
“We can only imagine the devastation this family must be feeling, and our deepest condolences are with them,” Douglas County Health Director Dr. Lindsay Huse said in a statement. “We can honor the memory of this child by becoming educated about the risk and then taking steps to prevent infection.”
Authorities did not share the age or gender of the child, whom they believe might have been infected while swimming in the Elkhorn River in northeast Nebraska.
The child was in the river on Sunday, Aug. 14, according to KETV. Authorities did not say where in the river the child was swimming.
What is a brain-eating amoeba?
Naegleria fowleri, or a brain-eating amoeba, is commonly found in warm freshwater bodies, including lakes and rivers, according to the CDC. While rare, it can also be found in contaminated tap water and “inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water.”
It infects people when entering the body through the nose — meaning you cannot be infected by drinking water contaminated with the amoeba, officials said.
In the U.S., most infections have been caused by the amoeba in southern-tier states, though officials say the amoeba is all over the world.
In the U.S., officials have reported 31 infections from 2012 to 2021.
“Of those cases, 28 people were infected by recreational water, two people were infected after performing nasal irrigation using contaminated tap water, and one person was infected by contaminated tap water used on a backyard slip-n-slide,” according to the CDC.
Officials consider Naegleria fowleri infections to be rare.
What are the symptoms of a brain-eating amoeba infection?
“Naegleria fowleri causes the disease primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a brain infection that leads to the destruction of brain tissue,” according to the CDC. “In its early stages, symptoms of PAM may be similar to symptoms of bacterial meningitis.”
Symptoms can include:
Headache, fever and nausea
Stiff neck
Confusion and lack of attention
Loss of balance
Seizures and hallucinations
Experts say the disease usually leads to death within about five days of initial symptoms. The fatality rate is about 97%, and only four out of 154 people in the U.S. known to have the infection from 1962 to 2021 survived.
How can I prevent a brain-eating amoeba infection?
Officials say the only way to prevent a Naegleria fowleri infection is by avoiding water-related activities in warm freshwater or other contaminated water.
“Limiting the opportunities for freshwater to get into the nose are the best ways to reduce the risk of infection,” Donahue said in a statement.
If you do get in the water, officials say you can reduce your risk by:
Holding your nose shut, using nose clips or keeping your head out of the water
Avoiding water-related activities when there has been high temperatures
Avoiding stirring up sediment in shallow, warm freshwater areas
“These recommendations make common sense but are not based on any scientific testing since the low numbers of infections make it difficult to ever show that they are effective,” according to the CDC.
Authorities do not recommend testing rivers and lakes for Naegleria fowleri “because the ameba is naturally occurring and there is no established relationship between detection or concentration of Naegleria fowleri and risk of infection.”
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