BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana Department of Health officials confirmed a Louisiana resident contracted a rare Naegleria fowleri infection, most likely while swimming in Lake Claiborne in Claiborne Parish.
Naegleria fowleri, known as a brain-eating amoeba, causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a brain infection that occurs when warm freshwater enters the nose. The infection is extremely rare but nearly always fatal.
State health officials issued a Health Alert Network advisory to healthcare providers on Tuesday to outline symptoms and reporting guidelines. Symptoms usually appear about five days after exposure and include severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures and coma.
The amoeba occurs naturally in warm freshwater and cannot infect people if swallowed. Swimmers can reduce their risk by keeping their heads above water, using nose clips and avoiding stirring up sediment in shallow areas.