Latest news with #brain-eating amoeba
Globe and Mail
13 hours ago
- Health
- Globe and Mail
South Carolina parents call for safety warnings after son killed by brain-eating amoeba in lake
Two weeks after Jaysen Carr spent the Fourth of July swimming and riding on a boat on one of South Carolina's most popular lakes, he was dead from an amoeba that lives in the warm water and entered his brain through his nose. His parents had no clue the brain-eating amoeba, whose scientific name is Naegleria fowleri, even existed in Lake Murray, just 15 miles (24 kilometres) west of Columbia. They found out when a doctor, in tears, told them the diagnosis after what seemed like a fairly regular headache and nausea took a serious turn. Jaysen, 12, fought for a week before dying on July 18, making him one of about 160 people known to have died from the amoeba in the U.S. in the past 60 years. As they grieve their son, the boy's parents said they were stunned to learn South Carolina, like most other U.S. states, has no law requiring public reporting of deaths or infections from the amoeba. The lake wasn't closed and no water testing was performed. If they hadn't spoken up, they wonder if anyone would have even known what happened. 'I can't believe we don't have our son. The result of him being a child was losing his life. That does not sit well. And I am terrified it will happen to someone else,' Clarence Carr told The Associated Press as his wife sat beside him, hugging a stuffed tiger that had a recording of their middle child's heartbeat. What is the brain-eating amoeba that killed an American boy swimming in a lake? Jaysen loved sports. He played football and baseball. He loved people, too. As soon as he met you, he was your friend, his father said. He was smart enough to have skipped a grade in school and to play several instruments in his middle school band in Columbia. 'He either loved you or he just didn't know you,' his father said. 'He was the type of person who could go to a jump park and five minutes later say, 'This is my friend James.'' Friends invited Jaysen and his family for the Fourth of July holiday weekend on the lake, where Jaysen spent hours swimming, fishing and riding on an inner tube that was being pulled by a boat. 'Mom and Dad, that was the best Fourth of July I've ever had,' Clarence Carr remembered his son telling him. A few days later, Jaysen's head started to hurt. Pain relievers helped. But the next day the headache got worse and he started throwing up. He told the emergency room doctors exactly where he was hurting. But soon he started to get disoriented and lethargic. The amoeba was in his brain, already causing an infection and destroying brain tissue. It entered through his nose as water was forced deep into his nasal passages, possibly from one of the times Jaysen jumped into the water. It then travelled along his olfactory nerve into his brain. The amoeba caused an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Fewer than 10 people a year get it in the U.S., and over 95% of them die. The last death from the amoeba in South Carolina was in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The amoeba is fairly common. There is no science-based threshold for what level of the organism in the water would be safe or unsafe, and it would be difficult to test water regularly, the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services said in a statement. Researchers are still trying to figure out why the infections are so rare. Some people have been found to have had antibodies, signalling they may have survived exposure. Others may die from brain swelling and other problems without the amoeba ever being detected. Last year, the CDC started a pilot program of giving infected patients an antibiotic approved for use in Europe that has killed the amoeba in lab studies The amoeba becomes dangerous in water that stays over 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius) and for years has been seen almost exclusively in the summer in the southern part of the country. But a few recent cases have popped up in Maryland, Indiana and Minnesota, scientists said. The CDC said 167 cases of the infection have been reported in the U.S. between 1962 and 2024, and only four people have survived. One infection in a body of water doesn't increase the chances of another infection in the same body of water, the CDC said. The amoeba cannot move from one person to another. Boys seem most susceptible, but researchers don't know if that is simply because they are more likely to jump and dive into the water or play in sediment at the bottom of lakes. The amoeba can show up in hot springs, rivers and, on rare occasions, in tap water. That's why doctors recommend using sterile water for cleaning nasal passages with a neti pot. The only way to be completely safe is to not swim in lakes or rivers and, if you do, keep your head above water. Pinching your nose or using nose clips when diving or swimming can keep water out of your nose. As he sat in an intensive care hospital room with his son, Clarence Carr couldn't help but think of all the people on the lake. He wondered if any of them had any clue about the microscopic danger in that water. 'There are entire families out there on pontoon boats, jumping off, just like our kids were having the time of their lives,' he said. 'It very well could be their last moments, and they are unaware of it.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Family of boy who died from brain-eating amoeba speaks out: 'Unimaginable'
The family of a 12-year-old boy from South Carolina is grieving after he died from a brain-eating amoeba, according to a statement from their lawyer. Jaysen Carr died on July 18 after developing an infection from the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, the statement shared by Bailey Law Firm said. The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY on July 23 that a person died after being exposed to the amoeba earlier in July. Prisma Health Children's Hospital Midlands confirmed on July 22 that the person was treated at the facility but did not publicly identify the person. "The Carr family is incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love from the community and for the dedicated care provided by the doctors and nurses at Prisma Health Children's Hospital in the Midlands," the statement said. Brain-eating amoeba victim was 'bright and beloved' middle schooler The statement from the Carr family's lawyer said Jaysen was a "bright and beloved" middle school student. "His loss is unimaginable, and our hearts are with his family as they grieve their son and search for answers," the statement said. The legal team said it will "stand beside this family not only to seek the truth, but to help ensure no other family endures a loss like this." "We ask that you keep the Carrs in your thoughts and prayers and respect their privacy as they prepare to lay Jaysen to rest," Bailey Law Firm's statement said. Brain-eating amoeba: Person dies from Naegleria fowleri in South Carolina, officials say Family says boy was infected with brain-eating amoeba at SC lake The family's statement also said Jaysen Carr developed the infection after swimming at Lake Murray outside Columbia. The SCDPH said it also believed the exposure occurred at the lake. "We cannot be completely certain as this organism occurs naturally and is present in many warm water lakes, rivers and streams," the agency said. What is Naegleria fowleri? Why is it known as a brain-eating amoeba? Naegleria fowleri is a type of amoeba that can cause a rare but nearly always fatal brain infection. It thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The amoeba is often referred to as brain-eating because it can cause an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) that destroys brain tissue. Most people who have been in bodies of waters have been exposed to the amoeba, but contact alone is not harmful, Dr. Anna Kathryn Burch, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Prisma Health Children's Hospital Midlands, said during a news conference on July 22. "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," Burch said, adding that a PAM infection causes the brain to swell. To protect against a possible infection, the CDC recommends holding or wearing a nose clip when jumping into fresh water, keeping the head above water in hot springs and using distilled or boiled tap water when rinsing sinuses. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 12-year-old dies from brain-eating amoeba after swimming in lake
New York Times
4 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
Infection From Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Boy in South Carolina
A 12-year-old boy died last week in South Carolina from a rare brain-eating amoeba he contracted after swimming in a local reservoir, a lawyer for the boy's family said in a statement on Thursday. Jaysen Carr, a middle school student, contracted the deadly infectious amoeba after swimming in Lake Murray, a reservoir roughly 15 miles from Columbia, S.C., the law firm of Tyler D. Bailey said on Facebook. Jaysen died on July 18. In a briefing on Thursday, Prisma Health Children's Hospital in South Carolina confirmed that Jaysen died from Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater. It was not immediately clear when he had gone swimming. Dominion Energy, which owns the lake and runs recreational access to it, could not be immediately reached on Saturday. The amoeba is 'ubiquitous to any fresh water in the state of South Carolina' and much of the Southeastern United States, Anna-Kathryn Burch, a doctor of pediatric infectious diseases, said at the briefing. As the weather heats up, the number of amoeba in the water increase while water levels decrease. That is often when infections occur. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Funeral plans announced for 12-year-old boy who died of a brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina
Funeral plans announced for 12-year-old boy who died of a brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Child dies from brain-eating amoeba after doing favorite summertime activity
A child from South Carolina died of an infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba after visiting a popular local lake to go swimming. No name or age has been released for the young patient, but the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) stated that exposure likely occurred at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina. The child was treated at Prisma Health Children's Hospital but he later died from complications related to a Naegleria fowleri infection. Officials announced that the case was confirmed on July 7. Naegleria fowleri is commonly called a brain-eating amoeba because it causes a brain infection that is typically fatal. Official records show 164 people in the US were infected with the disease between 1962 and 2023, of which only four survived. The child had gone swimming at Lake Murray and he was diagnosed on July 7. The lake was originally constructed to provide hydroelectric power to all of South Carolina and it was once the world's largest man-made reservoir. Today, it draws tens of thousands of visitors with dozens of picturesque beaches and swimming spots, along with fishing and sailing activities. There had been no prior warnings about the lake being contaminated with bacteria or other harmful organisms and health experts say that despite the recent incident, there is not an elevated risk associated with the body of water. The US only suffers a handful of deaths from brain-eating amoebas each year, usually among people swimming in warm water lakes and rivers. Texas is among the states that have suffered the largest burden of brain-eating amoeba cases, with 39 of the 164 cases recorded in the US occurring in the Lone Star state. While Naegleria fowleri infections remain rare, there is concern that they may become more common due to climate change. The single-cell organism, which thrives in warm waters, kills 97 percent of the people it infects as it causes a disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, also known as PAM or amebic meningitis. Initial symptoms include a headache, vomiting and nausea. A person can then suffer cognitive issues and a stiff neck as things progress. It causes severe swelling, and eventually rotting, of the brain and spinal cord. This will almost always eventually lead to death. There are no known effective treatments for PAM. Only several Americans have ever survived after being infected with Naegleria fowleri. This includes Caleb Ziegelbauer from Florida, who was 13 years old at the time he was stricken by the microscopic species. Caleb is now walking somewhat but the damage done to his brain means he needs to communicate with facial expressions and has to use a wheelchair. Officials believe the South Carolina child was infected while swimming in their local lake. The incident is not the first case of a Naegleria fowleri infection in South Carolina and there have also been other deaths linked to to the organism over recent years. In June, a 71-year-old woman from Texas contracted an infection and died from Naegleria fowleri after she rinsed her sinuses with tap water from an RV's water system at a campground. And in 2023, a 16-month-old toddler from Arkansas died after coming into contact with the same one-celled organism at a water playground with fountains and jets. The amoeba, which is 1,200 times smaller than a dime, enters the body through the olfactory nerve which connects the upper nose to the brain. This gives it a short and direct route into the brain. If water containing the amoeba enters the nose, it will likely lead to infection. Ingesting water through the mouth is ok because stomach acid is strong enough to kill the amoeba. The nose is its only route. Once a person's olfactory nerve is exposed, it can take around one to nine days to start experiencing symptoms. They will usually die within five days of symptoms first appearing. 'It's quite rapid, it's very progressive. It literally eats the brain tissue,' Dr Anjan Debnath, a parasitologist at the University of California San Diego, explained. Because of the rare infection, doctors also often misdiagnose symptoms as meningitis - wasting valuable time that could be used to treat the parasite. He describes the infection as taking part in two stages. The first is relatively minor, with the person experiencing a headache and other flu-like symptoms. This means that unless a doctor knows that a person has been swimming in untreated water they may not even suspect the amoeba. Once symptoms reach the second stage, a person will start experiencing severe neurological issues like seizures. A doctor will then likely find out about the infection through a spinal fluid test. America suffers around three cases of the amoeba each year. They will almost always occur over summer, when many families flock to local lakes and ponds for a daytime outing. Dr Debnath still advises against swimming in untreated water over summer, especially in places like Florida and Texas where temperatures get exceptionally high. Because the amoeba only resides in fresh water, swimming in the ocean is generally safe. If families do choose to visit a freshwater beach, anyone entering the water should wear a nose clip to prevent water from entering their nose. Dr Debnath also recommends against kicking up dirt or sand from the bottom of the lake as warmer areas deep down are where the microscopic beings usually lie. What is Naegleria fowleri? Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that 'literally eats the brain tissue,' according to Dr Anjan Debnath, a parasitic disease expert at the University of California, San Diego. It thrives in warm climates in freshwater including hot springs and lakes. Improper water treatment in pools, private ponds and even tap water can lead to deadly exposure to the amoeba as well. The amoeba travels up the nose where it has a direct route to the brain. Once a person's olfactory nerve in the nose is exposed, symptoms typically come on within one to nine days. Those who are infected will usually die within five days of symptoms first appearing. Early stage symptoms resemble those of the flu.
