Florida Teen Swims in St. Johns River, Ends Up in Hospital with Deadly Infection
Doctors suspect a deadly amoeba infected girl's brain

Posted Aug. 13, 2011

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It's hot in FL, especially this week where temperatures hit over 100 degrees throughout the state. One Brevard county girl and her family decided to beat the heat by taking a swim in the St. Johns River. A few days later, the 16 year-old Courtney Nash ended up in the hospital with a rare brain infection, and doctors suspect a deadly amoeba found in the river is the culprit.

According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel,

"[Courtney] and her family swam in the St. Johns River last week to escape the heat. A few days later, Courtney landed at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in critical condition and suffering from symptoms similar to primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) — an often deadly infection caused by the waterborne amoebas."

The article in the Sentinel - see link below - goes on to say that this brain infection has KILLED 30 people in Florida since 1937. The parasite travels through the nose, eyes or ears, and attacks the brain and spinal cord. Although doctors treat the infection with antibiotics, this rarely kills the infection and death has commonly occurred in less than seven days.

More information from the Orlando Sentinel article:

"State health officials Friday issued an alert about the deadly amoeba Naegleria fowleri, found in the silt at the bottom of most Florida lakes and rivers. The Naegleria fowleri amoeba lives in many Florida lakes and, when water temperatures rise as they have in recent weeks, health experts warn swimmers to stay out of fresh water."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/os-girl-gets-amoeba-infection-20110811,0,4096637.story