Local health officials believe the child became infected while swimming at a Northern California lake. He was taken to the emergency room July 30 and flown to UC Davis Medical Center where he was placed on life support with severe brain swelling, his family said. He died Aug. 7.
Naegleria fowleri,, the parasite that causes the infection, typically infects people when contaminated water enters their body through the nose. It’s typically found in warm bodies of freshwater such as lakes and rivers.
PAM infections are very rare, with only 10 cases reported in the state since 1971, according to an Aug. 4 news release from the Tehama County Health Services Agency cited by The Sacramento Bee.
The disease is almost always fatal, with just four of 148 patients in the U.S. surviving the infection from 1962 to 2019, according to the CDC.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
