A child in Nevada died due to a brain-eating amoeba: he contracted it in a body of water that was previously considered safe

In Nevada, a boy died as a result of infection with a brain-eating amoeba. According to the authorities, he could have become infected in the Lake Mead reservoir. Read more about the precedent told the publication CNN.

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A minor may have contracted the bacteria, called Naegleria fowleri, in the Kingman Wash Park area, located near a lake near the Hoover Dam, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area said in a statement.

Officials did not give the name or exact age of the deceased, but said he was under 18 years old.

"This is the first confirmed death caused by exposure to Naegleria Fowleri at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area," the agency said in a statement.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the microscopic amoeba is commonly found in warm fresh water, but infections are rare. Between 2012 and 2021, only 31 cases of Naegleria fowleri infection were reported in the United States, according to the CDC. Although infections are rare, they are almost always fatal.

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The CDC said a person can become infected when water containing the amoeba enters their nose, usually by swimming, diving, or submerging their head underwater. It cannot cause infection if swallowed and is not transmitted from person to person.

This is at least the third fatal Naegleria fowleri infection this year, including a child in Nebraska who fell ill after swimming in a river and a Missouri man who contracted it on a beach.

An investigation by the Nevada Medical District found that the boy may have been infected in early October. About a week later, he began to show symptoms.

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“I offer my condolences to the family of this young man,” said Dr. Fermin Legen. “While this will not bring comfort to his family and friends, I assure the public that this type of infection is extremely rare.”

The National Park Service will continue to allow recreational swimming in the reservoir. U.S. Public Health Service official Dr. Maria Said explained that the decision was made given that "the bacterium exists naturally and is commonly found in the environment, but direct disease is extremely rare."

“However, people should understand that whenever they enter warm fresh water, there is a risk of such contamination,” Saeed said.

The park urged people to take precautions recommended by the CDC, including avoiding jumping and diving into warm fresh water, covering or plugging their noses while swimming, keeping their heads above the water, and avoiding total submersion.

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