8-year-old Louisiana girl dies from a rare brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater

An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana, Lillian Smart, has died from an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater. The infection, likely contracted while swimming in Lake Claiborne, leads to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a nearly always fatal condition. Health authorities state that Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm freshwater and enters the brain through the nose. This is the first confirmed case in Louisiana since 2013, with fewer than 10 cases annually in the U.S. The amoeba is naturally occurring, and there are no routine environmental tests for it in bodies of water.

An eight-year-old girl, Lillian Smart of Ruston, Louisiana, has died after contracting the rare and typically fatal brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri. Health officials believe her infection most likely occurred after swimming in Lake Claiborne. Lillian passed away on Saturday, the day after her birthday, following hospitalization since August 15th. Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare, with only a handful reported in Louisiana since 2011, and are almost always fatal. The amoeba thrives in warm freshwater and can cause a severe brain infection if contaminated water enters the nose. The infection cannot be contracted by swallowing water or spread between people.