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Naegleria fowleri infection in Louisiana

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2026-08-25 18:55 UTC → 2026-08-26 05:19 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed an infection of Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism known as the ‘brain-eating amoeba,’ in a resident of Claiborne Parish. Officials indicated the infection likely occurred during swimming in Lake Claiborne. Following the initial report, it was confirmed that an eight-year-old girl from Ruston, Louisiana, named Lillian Smart, died from the infection. Her family reported that she passed away on a Saturday, just one day after celebrating her eighth birthday. The child had been hospitalized since August 15. Her family confirmed her passing, noting that the brain injuries were too severe for her body to recover from. Before her death, she had presented with fever and fatigue, which progressed to neurological symptoms including double vision and severe brain swelling. Health officials noted that the infection is not transmitted person-to-person and cannot be contracted by swallowing water. It causes primary amebic ~~meningoencephalitis,~~ meningoencephalitis (PAM), a condition that occurs when contaminated warm freshwater is inhaled through the nose, leading to significant brain swelling. ~~Symptoms typically include fever, headache, and nausea, often progressing rapidly to severe neurological complications.~~ While extremely rare, the infection is nearly always ~~fatal.~~ fatal, with an estimated mortality rate of 95 to 99 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been approximately 173 to 180 cases of Naegleria fowleri in the United States since 1937. The Louisiana Department of Health noted that ~~there have been only three recorded cases~~ this marks the first confirmed case in the state since ~~2011.~~ 2013. Experts have noted that rising water temperatures due to climate change may contribute to the spread of these organisms into new geographic regions. In Ruston, local businesses have organized donations to support the Smart family.

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