Nebraska authorities noted that a Douglas County child lost his life this week from a suspected infection with the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, which may have been acquired while the victim was swimming in the Elkhorn River.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now conducting further testing to confirm the infection, said the health department. Health officials declined to provide additional information regarding the child, such as age or gender.
Brain-Eating Amoeba
The Naegleria fowleri, which is a microscopic, single-celled organism, can cause a rare but nearly always fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, when water containing the amoeba rushes up the nose and reaches the brain, the CDC noted.
If confirmed, the victim's death would be the first known death from Naegleria fowleri in the history of the state, said the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The amoeba is present in many freshwater sources, such as rivers, lakes, and streams, as per the Omaha World-Herald.
While millions of people are exposed to freshwater sources for recreation every year, fewer than eight infections are identified at the same time, said Dr. Matthew Donahue, the state epidemiologist.
Infections typically occur later in the summer season in warmer water with slower flow, particularly in July, August, and September. One Missouri resident died after being infected with the organism while swimming in late June at Lake of Three Fires State Park in southwest Iowa.
According to Fox News, Donahue said that cases, historically, have been more common in southern states, but noted that in recent years, they have become more common farther north. On top of the rare occurrences of coming into contact with the amoeba, the CDC does not recommend states take the time to test untreated rivers and lakes.
High Fatality Rate
The agency noted that this was "because the amoeba is naturally occurring and there is no established relationship between detection or concentration of Naegleria fowleri and risk of infection. Brain-eating amoeba is known to be rare in the United States, with the CDC recording only 31 infections in the last 10 years.
Despite their rarity, the chances of survival after coming into contact with a brain-eating amoeba are slim. Authorities noted that the fatality rate is 97% and that only four of the 154 people with known infections between 1962 and 2021 have survived.
The nickname of the amoebas is derived from the way they destroy brain tissue, using the brain as a food source after being forced up the sinuses through a rush of water. However, when the microbe is in water, it feasts on bacteria.
The health director of the Douglas County Health Department, Lindsay Huse, said during a news conference that recent drought conditions and heat in Nebraska had made it easier for the organism to thrive in the river.
Furthermore, global warming increased the likelihood of drought, with higher temperatures drying out soils and vegetation, causing more precipitation to fall as rain than snow, which can affect water availability for agriculture, the New York Times reported.
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