Eight-year-old dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana
Lillian Smart of Ruston infected with fatal Naegleria fowleri, likely after swimming in Lake Claiborne, health officials say
TL;DR
- An eight-year-old girl, Lillian Smart, died from *Naegleria fowleri* after swimming in Lake Claiborne, Louisiana.
- *Naegleria fowleri* is a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba that flourishes in warm freshwater.
- The infection is suspected to have occurred while swimming, with contaminated water entering the nose.
- Infections are extremely rare, with only about 180 cases identified in the US since 1937.
- Experts believe the climate crisis may be causing the amoeba to appear in areas where it is not typical.