Louisiana girl, 8, dies after rare brain-eating amoeba infection

An 8-year-old girl from Louisiana has died after contracting a rare and almost always fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater.

Lillian Smart passed away over the weekend, according to Kyle Roberts, a spokesperson for her family. Her parents, Daniel and Rebecca Smart, announced her death in a public Facebook post on Sunday, writing that "the injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from."

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed last week that the state had recorded its first Naegleria fowleri infection since 2013. The department did not identify the patient, citing policy on individual cases. Officials believe the infection was likely contracted while swimming in Lake Claiborne, located in the northern part of the state.

Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as a "brain-eating amoeba," can cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis when water containing the organism enters the body through the nose and reaches the brain. The infection is nearly always fatal and cannot be transmitted from person to person.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, fewer than 10 cases are reported annually in the United States. Since 1937, there have been approximately 180 confirmed infections nationwide. The amoeba is commonly found in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, canals, and ponds, particularly in southern states during the summer months when water temperatures exceed 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry expressed his condolences on social media, writing that he was "heartbroken over the news of Lillian's passing." Last year, a 12-year-old boy in South Carolina also died from an infection caused by the same amoeba.