RED BLUFF, Calif. — A 7-year-old boy has died after being infected by an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba, his family confirmed Friday.
David Pruitt of Tehama County died Aug. 7 from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, his aunt, Crystal Hayley, told The Associated Press.
According to an Aug. 4 news release issued by the Tehama County Health Services Agency, the boy was likely infected in a Tehama County lake, but the agency declined to identify an exact location, KOVR reported.
There have only been 10 PAM cases reported in California since 1971, the agency stated.
The boy was rushed to the emergency room on July 30 and then flown to the University of California Davis Medical Center where he was on life support with severe brain swelling, Hayley said in a fundraising site she created for the family to raise funds for his care and funeral.
Although Pruitt’s parents declined an interview request from the AP, Hayley told the outlet that “they want people to be aware of this amoeba and the illness signs.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the parasite Naegleria fowleri typically infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose. The parasitic infections most often occur when people go swimming or diving in warm freshwater, such as in lakes and rivers.
“Once the amoeba enters the nose, it travels to the brain where it causes PAM, which is usually fatal,” the CDC stated.
Meanwhile, early-stage symptoms can include a severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. As the infection worsens, patients can develop a stiff neck and experience seizures or hallucinations, according to the CDC.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.