Louisiana Health Dept. Confirms Rare Naegleria fowleri Case Linked to Lake Claiborne
The Louisiana Department of Health reported a fatal Naegleria fowleri infection in a resident, likely contracted while swimming in Lake Claiborne, marking the state's fourth case since 1937.
The Louisiana Department of Health said a resident contracted a Naeggeria fowleri infection, a rare and usually fatal brain infection, after swimming in Lake Claiborne in Claiborne Parish. The case is the fourth recorded in the state since 1937.
Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that lives in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers and ponds. Infection occurs when contaminated water is forced up the nose, allowing the organism to reach the brain; it does not spread between people or through ingestion.
The agency noted that only about 180 cases have been documented in the United States, with annual totals ranging from zero to eight since 1937. Louisiana previously recorded two deaths in 2011 linked to neti pot use and a child’s death in 2013 after playing on a hot, muddy Slip ’N Slide.
Symptoms typically appear five days after exposure, beginning with severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, and can progress to stiff neck, seizures and coma. Health officials advise limiting water entry into the nose and avoiding warm, stagnant freshwater during summer months to reduce risk.