Person dies from brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina, officials say
A patient at Prisma Health Children's Hospital Midlands in South Carolina died after being infected with Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba, Dr. Anna Kathryn Burch, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, said during a press conference on July 22.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY that a person died after being exposed to the amoeba earlier in July.
Officials believe the exposure likely happened at Lake Murray, which is about 15 miles northeast of Columbia.
"We cannot be completely certain as this organism occurs naturally and is present in many warm water lakes, rivers and streams," the South Carolina department of Public Health said.
Naegleria fowleri is a type of amoeba that can cause a rare, but nearly always fatal brain infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is Naegleria fowleri? Why is it known as a brain-eating amoeba?
Naegleria fowleri is a type of amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs. In some cases, it can be found in poorly maintained swimming pools, splash pads and tap water, according to the CDC.
The amoeba is often referred to as brain-eating because it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) that destroys brain tissue.
Dr. Burch said most people who have been in lakes, rivers, and other bodies of waters have been exposed to the amoeba. However, contact alone with the bacteria is not harmful.
"Where it can cause an issue is if forceful water gets up the nose and is able to cross from the nose into the brain," Dr. Burch said, adding that a PAM infection causes the brain to swell.
Brain infections caused by Naegleria fowleri are very rare, though when they do happen, they are almost always fatal, according to the CDC. Typically, fewer than 10 people a year in the U.S. get PAM, and nearly everyone who gets it dies from it, the agency said.
Brain-eating amoeba death: Woman dies from Naegleria fowleri after using tap water to clear sinuses, CDC says
How to protect against brain-eating amoeba
The CDC recommends the following measures to protect against brain-eating amoeba:
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
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