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Eight-year-old girl dies from brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana
FOX Weather • • health
Key Points:
- An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana, Lillian Smart, died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, which causes a nearly always fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis.
- The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has warned residents to avoid Henderson Lake due to the presence of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae blooms, which can produce harmful toxins.
- The CDC explains that Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm freshwater and infects people when contaminated water enters the nose, leading to severe brain damage and death in most cases.
- Cyanobacteria blooms can be difficult to detect visually and may move quickly, prompting health officials to advise avoiding any water bodies with visible or suspected blooms for safety.
- The family of the deceased girl expressed their grief publicly, emphasizing their faith and the efforts made to save her, while health authorities continue to raise awareness about the dangers of harmful algal blooms and brain-eating amoebas.
