Naegleria fowleri Brain-eating amoeba killed 18-year-old in the lake

Rare deadly amoeba can be absorbed by the water
An 18-year-old teenager from the United States has now been killed by a brain-eating amoeba. The young woman from Charlotte, North Carolina, was on a church vacation when she was infected with the so-called amoeba Naegleria fowleri. This then caused a deadly infection in the brain of those affected.

American researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have now discovered in the investigation of a deceased teenage girl that there was an infection with the amoeba in the cerebrospinal fluid. This rare amoeba triggered a brain infection in the 18-year-old girl, which ultimately led to death. The CDC published a press release on the current case.

Bathing in lakes and rivers brings with it some risks. In America now an 18-year-old girl died from an infection of the brain. This was triggered by an amoeba, which the teenager had taken over the water. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

Rare dangerous amoeba needs warm fresh water
The rare amoeba Naegleria fowleri is usually found in warm fresh water. It also grows in pipes, but not where there is salt water. For this reason, it is not found in oceans, explain the experts of the CDC. The teenage girl had taken a dinghy tour at the US National Whitewater Center. The boat was overturned and the young woman got in contact with the water.

Water Park disinfects all water by UV radiation and chlorine
In response to the tragic incident, all of the water on the US National Whitewater Center property was disinfected by UV radiation and chlorine, the water park officials said in a press release. Officials of the CDC examined the water park to clarify the death of the teenage girl. For this purpose, the scientists took some water samples to examine in their laboratory.

How does Naegleria fowleri get into our body??
What is the danger of so-called Naegleria fowleri? You will not get sick if you drink contaminated water, the doctors say. However, if the water contains Naegleria fowleri and is absorbed through the nose, it may come into contact with our brain. The consequences of this are almost always fatal, warn the scientists. Water can reach our nose in different ways. Either by immersion in water or by the splashing water in water slides.

Where is the danger of becoming infected??
Most infections occur when swimming in warm lakes or rivers. However, there have also been cases where swimming pool water has not been properly disinfected or heated, say the scientists. Also contaminated tap water can contain the dangerous amoeba, warn the experts of the CDC. So-called Naegleria fowleri infections usually occur in the summer months and are not contagious.

Mortality rate of infection is 97 percent
The symptoms of the infection include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. These usually start about five days after the infection, explain the doctors. Another five days later, the disease often causes the death of those affected. The researchers pointed out again that Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare. The CDC reports 37 infections in the decade from 2006 to 2015. However, the mortality rate of the infection is very high. It is 97 percent. Of the 138 previously infected people in the United States from 1963 to 2015, just three survived, the researchers explain.

To avoid infection by Naegleria fowleri
To limit the risk of infection, CDC experts recommend the following precautions:
Limit the amount of water that gets in your nostrils. Close your nose or use clips for the nose. Try to keep your head above water whenever possible while swimming in warm fresh water. Avoid water activities in warm fresh water in times of high water temperature and low water levels. During activities in shallow, warm fresh water, avoid soil and sediment. (As)