Parasitic meningitis, caused by Naegleria fowleri, confirmed in Arkansas girl
In a follow up to a story Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reportedly confirmed a case of parasitic meningitis in an Arkansas girl, according to a FOX 13 Memphis report.
Image/CDC
The federal health agency confirmed the presence of the “brain-eating amoeba”; however, due to privacy concerns they have not given any personal information.
According to KARK 4 news, the patient is a 12-year-old girl who is recovering at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
According to the CDC, Naegleria fowleri (commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba”) is a free-living amoeba that can cause a rare and devastating infection of the brain called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
Related story: Naegleria, Neti pots and you
People get infected when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose. This typically occurs when people go swimming or diving in warm freshwater places, like lakes and rivers.
The Naegleria fowleri ameba then travels up the nose to the brain where it destroys the brain tissue.
You cannot be infected with Naegleria fowleri by drinking contaminated water, the CDC notes.
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