Louisiana girl dies from brain-eating amoeba infection

An eight-year-old girl from Ruston, Louisiana, named Lillian Smart, has died following an infection from Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba.” The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed the case, noting that the infection likely occurred while the child was swimming in Lake Claiborne. This marks the first confirmed case of the infection in Louisiana since 2013.

Naegleria fowleri causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but nearly always fatal disease that attacks the brain. The infection occurs when contaminated warm freshwater enters the body through the nose, allowing the organism to travel to the brain via the olfactory pathway. Health officials emphasize that the infection cannot be contracted by swallowing water and is not transmitted from person to person.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that while the risk of infection is extremely low, cases typically occur during warmer months when water temperatures rise in lakes, rivers, and ponds. Children and young adults are among the most affected groups, often due to activities like diving or jumping that force water into the nasal passages.