Overview
- Lillian Smart of Ruston died Saturday after a rapid illness that began with a fever and progressed to severe brain swelling; she had been hospitalized since Aug. 15 for neurological complications.
- The Louisiana Department of Health announced on Aug. 19 that a resident had likely contracted Naegleria fowleri and linked the infection to a recent swim at Lake Claiborne, and officials say this is the state's first confirmed case since 2013.
- Naegleria fowleri causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis when contaminated warm freshwater enters the nose and reaches the brain; infections are extremely rare but nearly always fatal and do not spread from person to person.
- The Ruston community has organized fundraisers and local businesses have donated to support the Smart family, while state leaders and health officials issued condolences and reminders about warning signs such as severe headache, fever, vomiting, stiff neck and confusion.
- Health authorities note there is no routine testing of natural waters for the amoeba, so they advise practical steps to lower risk—keep your head above water, use nose clips, avoid stirring up sediment, and use sterile water for nasal rinses—as warming waters could expand where the amoeba is found.