Boy, 7, dies after being infected with brain-eating amoeba

A 7-year-old boy from Tehama County has died after contracting a rare but serious brain-eating amoeba after swimming in a lake in northern California, the family said.

David Pruitt died of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis on August 7, said Crystal Hayley, the boy’s aunt.

“We are sad and heartbroken to announce that our adorable little David has passed away,” Hayley wrote on a GoFundMe page for the child’s family.

David was infected after swimming in a freshwater lake last month in Tehama County, although county public health officials have not disclosed which body of water.

“People get infected when water containing amoeba rushes up their noses,” the Tehama County Health Services Agency wrote in an Aug. 4 press release. “From the nose, the amoeba can sometimes migrate to the brain and destroy brain tissue.”

At the initial stage of infection, symptoms can include a severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the infection worsens, symptoms – which appear one to nine days after exposure to the amoeba – may develop into a stiff neck, seizures, or hallucinations.

David was rushed to the emergency room on July 30 and then airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center, said Hayley, where he was placed on life support with severe brain swelling. He died eight days later.

There have only been 10 cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) reported in California since 1971, according to the Tehama County Health Services Agency. Health officials recommend that anyone who has had nasal exposure to warm soft water in the past 10 days and develops symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.

David’s family declined several interview requests, but Hayley said “they want people to know about this amoeba and the signs of illness.”

According to the CDC website, the Naegleria fowleri parasite infects humans when contaminated water enters a person’s body through the nose. The infection usually occurs while swimming in warm freshwater lakes and rivers, although in rare cases swimmers can also contract the parasite by inhaling untreated pool water.

Due to the extremely low frequency of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis and how quickly the infection progresses, the parasite can be difficult to detect, the CDC website says. There is currently no method to accurately measure the amount of amoeba in water.