Latest news with #SouthCarolinaDepartmentofNaturalResources
The Hill
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
Brain-eating amoeba: Who is most often infected?
The family of a 12-year-old boy who died in South Carolina this month have confirmed his cause of death to be an infection associated with Naegleria fowleri, more commonly referred to as a ' brain-eating amoeba.' It's believed the boy, identified as Jaysen Carr, contracted the infection while swimming in Lake Murray, a central South Carolina reservoir popular with swimmers, boaters and fishermen, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. 'The family has many questions about how and why Jaysen died and wants to do everything in their power to ensure this doesn't happen to another family,' an attorney for Carr's family wrote in a statement shared with Nexstar's WCBD. What is Naegleria fowleri? Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism primarily found in warm freshwater and soil, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 'It's very commonly found in nature, in soil or warm freshwater around the world … or in places where the water is warm for other reasons, like a thermal hot spring, or pool water that isn't chlorinated properly,' Dr. Dennis Kyle, a professor of infectious diseases and cellular biology at the University of Georgia and the scholar chair of antiparasitic drug discovery with the Georgia Research Alliance, once explained in an interview with Nexstar. The organisms have also been observed in improperly treated tap water, and, in lower concentrations, even cooler freshwaters. The highest concentrations, though, are generally found in freshwater with surface temperature readings of 75 degrees F or higher, especially for extended periods of time. How do infections occur? Infection of N. fowleri usually occurs after water is forced into the nose, allowing the organism to enter the nasal cavity and cross the epithelial lining into the brain, where it begins destroying the tissue of the frontal lobe, Kyle said. There's an increased risk among those who partake in freshwater activities during the warmer months, he added. 'This time of year is when we typically hear about these cases,' Kyle said of the summertime, in general. 'When people are out doing summer activities in the water, or on the lakes.' The resulting brain infection, known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), can lead to symptoms including fever, headaches, stiff neck, seizures and hallucinations within two weeks of exposure. It is almost always fatal, with death occurring 'within about 5 days after symptoms first begin' but potentially up to a few weeks afterward, the CDC says. Can it be treated? Treatment of Naegleria fowleri infection consists of antifungal and antibiotic cocktails, and doctors have also induced hypothermia in patients to reduce fevers and protect undamaged brain tissue while the treatments are administered. Survival, however, is 'rare,' with a fatality rate estimated at about 97 percent the CDC says. Early detection and treatment can be key to improving chances, but infections may go ignored — or be misdiagnosed — until it's too late. Kyle, in a previous interview with Nexstar, said he was only aware of a handful of cases in which patients have survived, but he was optimistic about the use of collecting cerebral spinal fluid for testing purposes. Prevention (e.g., avoiding warm freshwater bodies of water, wearing nose plugs, keeping your head above water, etc.) is currently the best way to combat infection. Raising awareness of the danger also helps, Kyle said. 'But I think any warm freshwater facility, or hot spring … and at splashpads, you have to look at it carefully,' he told Nexstar. 'It's incumbent on people running these facilities to minimize risk and minimize exposure.' Who is most often infected? Anyone can contract Naegleria fowleri infection, but the CDC has identified 'young boys' as the group infected most often. 'The reasons for this aren't clear. It's possible that young boys are more likely to participate in activities like diving into the water and playing in the sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers,' the agency said. Is climate change making infections more common? Even the CDC acknowledges that climate change may indeed be 'a contributing factor' to the conditions which allow Naegleria fowleri to thrive. 'Warmer climates means, yes, more exposure and more cases,' Kyle had said, adding that there had been a 'significant increase' in cases in recent years. But he warned that increased cases cannot be linked solely to warmer waters, but rather more awareness and fewer misdiagnoses. 'There's more recognition that these amoeba are possibly causing disease, when before, virologists were misclassifying these cases as bacterial meningitis or [other diseases],' he said.
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
Hammerhead shark falls from sky onto disc golf course in South Carolina
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a hammerhead shark. A group of disc golfers witnessed a baby hammerhead shark fall from the sky while in the middle of a game in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, resident Jonathan Marlowe, 44, told ABC News. Marlowe and three of his friends were at Hole 11 at the Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach on the morning of May 18 when they saw an osprey carrying its latest catch in its mouth, he said. The group watched as two crows chased the osprey into some trees. When the osprey then dropped its breakfast, the group went to investigate. They assumed it was a fish at first, but the closer they got, they realized it was something more extraordinary: a baby hammerhead shark measuring about 1 foot long. "I've never even seen a hammerhead in real life, and here's a baby one on the ground that literally fell out of the sky," Marlowe said. The group was shocked to see the hammerhead on the golf course and alerted the only other people nearby -- disc golf players who were right behind them. No one else was on the course at the time, Marlowe said. It is unclear whether the shark was still alive when it was dropped from the sky, Marlowe said. The disc golf course is adjacent to Myrtle Beach State Park and is about half a mile from the ocean, so the group considered taking life-saving measures to return the shark to the water. But ultimately, they decided against it due to the unlikelihood that the shark would survive the journey, Marlowe said. The course is the perfect place to be out in nature, Marlowe said, adding that they often see wildlife during their time spent recreating there. Wildlife such as snakes, raccoons and alligators are common sights on local courses, and Marlowe has seen owls perched on trees within the course as well, he said. Several species of hammerhead sharks have been recorded off the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia, including bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), and great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), according to a survey by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. 2013.
Scottish Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Disc golf match interrupted as hammerhead SHARK falls from sky half-a-mile away from ocean
A witness shared the details of the unusual experience GOLFING WITH SHARKS Disc golf match interrupted as hammerhead SHARK falls from sky half-a-mile away from ocean A DISC golf game was put to a halt after a SHARK fell from the sky. A bird recently dropped a hammerhead shark onto a disc golf course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Advertisement 4 A disc golf game was interrupted by an unexpected happening last month Credit: Alamy 4 A dead hammerhead shark was dropped on the Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Credit: Jonathan Marlowe 4 Jonathan Marlowe holding the small hammerhead shark Credit: Jonathan Marlowe On May 18, disc golf games were taking place on Splinter City Disc Golf Course in South Carolina. However, a small dead hammerhead shark crashed down near the 11th hole of the wooded course. It turned out that an osprey bird flying over Myrtle Beach dropped the shark. Myrtle Beach is about half a mile away from the Atlantic Ocean. Advertisement The unusual event was witnessed by Jonathan Marlowe, who recalled the moment of the tiny hammerhead falling while he was playing disc golf. "It's not uncommon to see an osprey carrying something, but you take note because it's really cool to see," Marlowe told Garden & Gun magazine. "I thought it would be a random fish." The fish turned out to be a small, deceased hammerhead shark. Advertisement Marlowe said the bird dropped the shark after being accosted by a couple of crows in a tree. The shark was easily identifiable due to its distinctive, wide, T-shaped head. US Open release incredible video of army of lawnmowers to tackle rough as stars brand conditions 'unplayable' Marlowe was with friends during the sequence as the group left the shark under the tree in case the osprey wanted to retrieve it. However, Marlowe was informed later that day that the shark was still there, after another disc golfer who had noticed it commented on his Facebook post, recalling the situation. Advertisement Myrtle Beach's Disc Golf Facebook page revealed that the course tends to get visits from snakes, raccoons, and alligators. However, it's safe to say that seeing a shark on the property, which opened in 2020, is a first and likely won't happen again. "We couldn't believe it and kept asking ourselves, 'did that really just happen?'" Marlowe said. 4 A Google Maps image of Splinter City Disc Golf Course, which opened in 2020 Credit: Google Maps Advertisement It appeared to be a baby hammerhead shark. Hammerhead sharks can reach up to 20 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds. They typically live for 20-30 years. There are 10 known species of the hammerhead shark. Advertisement It's not known which species fell from the sky in Myrtle Beach. But it's not unusual for hammerheads to swim in the South Carolina waters. A 2013-2016 survey by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources detected three types of hammerheads in coastal waters off South Carolina and Georgia.
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Disc golf match interrupted as hammerhead SHARK falls from sky half-a-mile away from ocean
A DISC golf game was put to a halt after a SHARK fell from the sky. A bird recently dropped a hammerhead shark onto a disc golf course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Advertisement 4 A disc golf game was interrupted by an unexpected happening last month Credit: Alamy 4 A dead hammerhead shark was dropped on the Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Credit: Jonathan Marlowe 4 Jonathan Marlowe holding the small hammerhead shark Credit: Jonathan Marlowe On May 18, disc golf games were taking place on Splinter City Disc Golf Course in South Carolina. However, a small dead hammerhead shark crashed down near the 11th hole of the wooded course. It turned out that an osprey bird flying over Myrtle Beach dropped the shark. Myrtle Beach is about half a mile away from the Atlantic Ocean. Advertisement The unusual event was witnessed by Jonathan Marlowe, who recalled the moment of the tiny hammerhead falling while he was playing disc golf. "It's not uncommon to see an osprey carrying something, but you take note because it's really cool to see," Marlowe told "I thought it would be a random fish." The fish turned out to be a small, deceased hammerhead shark. Advertisement Most read in Golf Marlowe said the bird dropped the shark after being accosted by a couple of crows in a tree. The shark was easily identifiable due to its distinctive, wide, T-shaped head. US Open release incredible video of army of lawnmowers to tackle rough as stars brand conditions 'unplayable' Marlowe was with friends during the sequence as the group left the shark under the tree in case the osprey wanted to retrieve it. However, Marlowe was informed later that day that the shark was still there, after another disc golfer who had noticed it commented on his Facebook post, recalling the situation. Advertisement Myrtle Beach's Disc Golf Facebook page revealed that the course tends to get visits from snakes, raccoons, and alligators. However, it's safe to say that seeing a shark on the property, which opened in 2020, is a first and likely won't happen again. "We couldn't believe it and kept asking ourselves, 'did that really just happen?'" Marlowe said. 4 A Google Maps image of Splinter City Disc Golf Course, which opened in 2020 Credit: Google Maps Advertisement It appeared to be a baby hammerhead shark. Hammerhead sharks can reach up to 20 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds. They typically live for 20-30 years. There are 10 known species of the hammerhead shark. Advertisement It's not known which species fell from the sky in Myrtle Beach. Read more on the Irish Sun But it's not unusual for hammerheads to swim in the South Carolina waters. A 2013-2016 survey by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources detected three types of hammerheads in coastal waters off South Carolina and Georgia .
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
State agencies to conduct full-scale hurricane evacuation exercise Wednesday
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — Multiple agencies are set to test how prepared the state is to reverse highways in three major coastal areas should an evacuation be needed during the 2025 hurricane season. State and local agencies will conduct a full-scale exercise on Wednesday, June 4, to test lane reversal plans on I-26, U.S. 21, U.S. 278, U.S. 501, and S.C. 544. The drill will last from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. No traffic lanes will be reversed or closed during the drill, but drivers should expect to see equipment, state personnel, and more law enforcement officers staged along the shoulder of the highway and at exits. The Civil Air Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and South Carolina Forestry Commission will also be conducting aerial surveillance. 'These exercises help ensure that we are prepared to respond to a hurricane threatening our state,' said Robert G. Woods IV, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety director. 'Together with our state partners, we remain ready to quickly and efficiently move residents and visitors from the coast to the Midlands in the event that a mandatory evacuation order is given.' Storm Team 2 releases 2025 Hurricane Ready Guide Locally, lane reversal begins near mile marker 197 (Nexton Parkway) and I-26 in Charleston toward I-77 and I-26 in Columbia. Officials said the exercise should not disrupt traffic flow as intersections will not be blocked, and drivers will be able to travel freely. Forecasters are gearing up for a busy Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs through the end of September, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration putting the chance of an above-normal season at 60%. The agency's outlook predicts a range of 13 to 19 named storms, six to 10 of which could become hurricanes. Three to five are forecast to become major hurricanes, with winds of 111 mph or higher. 'Forecasts are pointing to an active hurricane season,' said South Carolina Emergency Management Division Director Kim Stenson. 'Hurricane Helene was a reminder that it only takes one storm to cause major impacts for South Carolina. It's critical for everyone — not only people who live along the coast — to review and practice their hurricane plans now. You can download Storm Team 2's Hurricane Ready Guide to find vital information about how to keep your family and property safe throughout the 2025 season. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
