Louisiana girl, 8, dies after contracting suspected brain-eating amoeba linked to lake swim

An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana, Lillian Smart, has died from an infection believed to be caused by Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba contracted while swimming in Lake Claiborne. The infection, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), is extremely rare and almost always fatal, with symptoms progressing rapidly to death. Health officials confirmed a state resident was hospitalized with the infection, and Lillian’s family identified it as the cause of her illness.

• Lillian Smart, an 8-year-old girl, died on Saturday from an infection linked to a suspected brain-eating amoeba.
• Health officials believe she contracted Naegleria fowleri while swimming in a northern Louisiana lake.
• The amoeba causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and often deadly brain infection.
• Symptoms typically include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, progressing to stiff neck, seizures, and coma.
• Approximately 97% of people who develop PAM die from the infection.
• Louisiana has recorded three previous deaths associated with Naegleria fowleri since 2011, often linked to tap water use or recreational water activities.