The Willow Springs Water Park located in Little Rock, Arkansas recently shut down after a child contracted primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.
With summer in full swing, a troubling case has surfaced which caused the closing of a water attraction.
The Willow Springs Water Park located in Little Rock, Arkansas recently shut down after a child contracted primary amoebic meningoencephalitis which is described as an exceptionally rare form of meningitis caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri.
It is believed the child came in contact with a tiny parasite while swimming in the lake at the park. The diagnosis is very grim as it results in a brain infection with an extremely low survival rate.
Between the years of 1962 and 2012, 128 confirmed cases of Naegleria fowleri infections in the US were reported and only one person survived. The illness begins after a parasite enters the body through the nose, while swimming in a sandy bottom, freshwater lake or pond.
The sickness ventures to the brain where it basically destroys the surrounding tissue. Early symptoms include headache, fever and vomiting.
The 12-year-old girl in question is currently recovering in the hospital. The CDC urged swimmers to avoid warm freshwater spots during times when the water temperature is high and levels are low.
