Nebraska child dies of suspected brain-eating amoeba infection

A child suspected of being infected with Naegleria fowleri (a brain-eating amoeba) has died in Nebraska, health officials said Wednesday,if confirmed. 

Douglas County Health Commissioner Dr. Lindsay Hughes said Thursday that the child died Aug. 8. said he went swimming in the Elkhorn River on Wednesday and started showing symptoms five days later. The health ministry had originally said in a statement Wednesday that the child had gone swimming on Sunday. 

Huse said that despite the rareness of infection, exposure to the county's freshwater sources " admitted that there was a risk. She said other people who had been swimming in areas where her children had been may have been exposed to amoebas without being infected. 

"This is a very unfortunate occurrence. It was," Hughes said. 

The amoeba that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis is present in many freshwater sources and contains water containing organisms. It usually enters the body through the nose and reaches the brain while swimming or diving, according to the Douglas County Health Department. However, it is not contagious by drinking contaminated water, and there is no human-to-human transmission. 

Symptoms such as vomiting, headache, nausea and fever usually occur within 1 to 12 days after infection. It can progress to stiff shoulders, spasms, and other neurological symptoms. 

Dr. Matthew Donoghue, an epidemiologist in Nebraska, states that while millions of recreational water exposures occur each year, Naegleria fowleri infections range from 0 to 8 per year. He said the case was confirmed. 

"Infection usually occurs in late summer in slow-moving warm water in July, August, and September. Cases are more frequent in southern states. It has been confirmed, but more recently in states further north, and the opportunity for freshwater to enter the nose is the best way to reduce the risk of infection," Donahue said in a statement. 116} Last month, a Missouri man contracted primary amebic meningoencephalitis while swimming in a lake in Iowa. Hughes said the incidents and those in Nebraska were "unrelated," but said more incidents tended to occur in more northern states. 

" It's not always this far north," he said, Huse. “Of course, this is the first confirmed case here in Nebraska. The organism really likes heat and humidity.. So when temperatures rise, water warms due to drought, and water levels drop, this organism is happier and grows more commonly in these conditions.

Cases of brain-eating amoeba were confirmed in other states during the summer:a Florida teen was diagnosed with a rare brain-eating amoeba in his body. 

Christopher Brito

Christopher Brito is a social media producer and trending writer for CBS News. and focuses on sports and stories involving issues of race and culture.