- After being infected with a brain-eating amoeba, a Las Vegas boy died.
- Officials say he might have been exposed when visiting Lake Mead.
- The amoebas, which can cause fatalities, are found in fresh warm water bodies and enter the brain via the nose.
After being infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba by the Southern Nevada Health District, a Las Vegas teenager died. Wednesday.
According to the department the boy, who was still under 18 years of age, may have been exposed at Lake Mead (on the Arizona side)
The amoeba, also known medically as Naegleria Fowleri is transmitted to people through the nose and up into the brain. The infection damages brain tissue, causes brain swelling, and even leads to death.
If swallowed, it is unlikely to infect anyone. The infection is also not contagious.
According to the health district, symptoms began around one week after the boy visited Lake Mead in October. The first symptoms are headaches, fever, nausea, and stiff neck. Later, the boy experiences hallucinations, seizures, and severe dizziness.
According to the department, although it is rare, almost all cases of this infection are fatal. The infection was contracted by 154 Americans between 1962 and 2021. Only four of them survived.
According to data from, the states of Texas and Florida had the most cases. However, this is only the second amoeba-related death in Nevada.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to epidemiologists, the death of the boy should not be a cause for panic.
Brian Labus is a former epidemiologist in public health and teaches at University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Public Health. The GuardianThe brain-eating amoeba is “very rare” and “gets people’s attention due to its name.”
Labus said that “I wouldn’t say there’s an alarm to sound about this.” “People must be careful when they find this rare amoeba.”
Southern Nevada Health District stated that amoeba is most commonly found in bodies of warm water. It can be avoided by taking precautions.
These include not jumping into warm freshwater bodies, keeping your head above it, and not digging or stirring sediment in shallow, warm freshwater.
