Brain eating amoeba: Naegleria fowleri and symptoms explained - what happened in Nebraska river as child dies?

A child in the US has died while swimming in a river in Nebraska after contracting an infectious brain disease.

Health officials have not disclosed the identity of the child but the death is believed to have been caused by brain-eating amoeba.

The amoeba can cause a rare brain infection which is fatal in 97 per cent of cases.

If confirmed by health officials it will be the first death caused by the infection reported in Nebraska’s history, but what is brain eating amoeba and where is it located?

What is brain eating amoeba?

Brain eating amoeba, formerly known as Naegleria fowleri, is a single celled organism which can be found in warm freshwater and in soil.

When contracted, the brain eating amoeba causes brain damage by destroying brain tissue and causing swelling which can often be fatal. The condition it causes is called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Brain eating amoeba is caused by water containing the amoeba travelling through the nose and moving upwards towards the brain.

People are most susceptible to the Naegleria in sources such as rivers, lakes and streams. Naegleria thrives in warm or hot water so infections are most common during the summer period, particularly during an extended heat wave.

What are the symptoms of brain eating amoeba?

Symptoms of brain eating amoeba can be contracted within one to 14 days of initial exposure.

The early symptoms can include fever, severe headache, nausea and vomiting. As the infection spreads it can escalate into other symptoms such as a stiff neck, light sensitivity, confusion, hallucinations, loss of balance and seizures.

Where is the amoeba most commonly found?

The brain eating amoeba can be found all over the world. Cases have been reported in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

How many people are infected by brain eating amoeba?

Infections are extremely rare, in total there were 154 primary amebic meningoencephalitis infections in the US between 1962 and 2021.

What happened to the child in the US?

A child went swimming in the Elkhorn River in Nebraska on 8 August. The child began to develop symptoms five days later and as the symptoms escalated they were sent to hospital and died within 10 days.