Brain-eating Amoeba takes Life

A two-year-old boy recently lost his life in Nevada, United States. The boy, identified as Woodrow Turner Bundy, was infected by the organism commonly referred to as the ‘brain-eating amoeba’. The organism is scientifically called Naegleria Fowleri, known to be present in warm freshwater bodies.

Brain-eating amoeba proves fatal:

Woodrow Turner Bundy lost his life from multiple infections caused by the Naegleria Fowleri on July 19. The boy’s family believes that as he was playing in the water at Ash Springs in the Pahranagat Valley of Lincoln County, Nevada, the organism infected his young body. 

Last week, the child began exhibiting symptoms similar to that of the common flu, according to a social media post by friends of the child’s family. This alerted the family of the possibility that there could be cause for worry. Briana, his mother, took him to the hospital immediately after the symptoms became noticeable. At first, the medical professionals suspected the illness to be meningitis. The infection was later diagnosed as being caused by the brain-eating amoeba. It was fatal.

The CDC Refuses to Help?

The mother of the boy, two days before her child’s demise, took to social media to speak of the CDC’s response to their written plea. Briana said that upon asking for medical assistance from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the organisation refused to provide treatment to the suffering boy as it would prove to be futile. While the agency has made no comments or rebuttals regarding the allegations so far, the CDC allegedly responded by saying that the child had crossed past the point of any previous survivor. 

The Mother’s Response:

Briana broke the news of her baby’s tragic demise on Facebook with a heartbreaking message. In the post, she writes of her toddler’s brave week-long battle with the disease and of the solace that she feels in the fact that she will be united with him in heaven, calling him her “goodest baby boy.”

A fundraiser has been set up for Woodrow’s family friend, Todd Engel who calls Briana and her family his second family. Engel urged that donations be made to the GoFundMe page to help the family cover all the medical bills and funeral costs. 

The Unforgiving Organism:

The brain-eating amoeba is found primarily in warm or hot freshwater, as it is a thermophilic and free-living amoeba. When it infiltrates the human body, it causes Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, commonly abbreviated as PAM. The deadly infection attacks brain tissue, causing swelling in the brain and eventually, death. The CDC reports that so far only 6 people have survived this unforgiving brain-eating amoeba in the United States. 

A recent report brought forward the case of Caleb Ziegelbauer, who was infected by Naegleria Fowleri in July 2022. The 14-year-old boy contracted the amoeba while swimming in Port Charlotte Beach, Florida. He is the 6th survivor and suffered from facial paralysis and speech issues. He has now made significant progress and aims to find a vaccine to protect other people from the fatal organism.

The brain-eating amoeba is only harmful if it enters a body through the sinuses. Ingestion through the mouth usually does not prove fatal as the stomach acids are strong enough to dissolve and kill the amoeba altogether, thus protecting the body from harm.