The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), US, confirmed that one of its residents died from a rare infection caused by a brain-eating amoeba. Investigations indicate that the deceased had acquired the bacteria from a local club’s pool.
The ADH asserted that “through an investigation that included testing and inspection, it was concluded that the individual was likely exposed at the Country Club of Little Rock water playground.”
Likewise, samples from the pool and wading pool showed that the water in the structures contained Naegleria fowleri, a microbe popularly known as the brain-eating amoeba.
According to the Daily Mail, the fatal victim of the amoeba was Michael Alexander Pollock III, a 16-month-old boy who died on Monday, September 4, 2023.
“Although Michael’s time on earth was short, he touched the hearts of his family, his friends and even the strangers he met with his bright smile and joy,” the family said in an obituary posted online by People invited to accompany her at the funeral which took place on September 7th.
Despite the death, Arkansas health officials emphasized that the brain-eating amoeba poses no threat to the community because the club has voluntarily closed the area and it cannot be transmitted from person to person.
They recalled that Naegleria fowleri is not found in salt water or properly treated water and rather lives in lakes, rivers, ponds and warm freshwater hot springs.
Therefore, they emphasize the importance of maintaining excellent health conditions in swimming pools.
He also emphasized that the last case reported in this state occurred in 2013 and that currently only a few people in the country are regularly infected. However, the mortality rate is very high.
