8-Year-Old Dies After Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba Infection In Louisiana

An 8-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that can cause a severe and often fatal brain infection.

Health officials believe Lillian Smart was exposed while swimming in Lake Claiborne before she was hospitalized in Ruston.

According to the CDC, infections are extremely rare but have a fatality rate of about 97 percent. Only about 180 cases have been reported in the United States since 1937, including three in Louisiana.

Health officials note that the amoeba cannot cause infection when swallowed and is not found in properly chlorinated swimming pools. The case has prompted renewed attention to precautions when swimming in warm freshwater.

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8-year-old Louisiana girl dies from a rare brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater https://t.co/vJ1s1s55vv

— O.C. Register (@ocregister) August 24, 2026

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tippinsightsTIPP Staff