Teen swimmer battling deadly, brain-eating amoeba, ‘fighting his little heart out’

A 13-year-old boy has been hospitalized after contracting Naegleria fowleri — a lethal brain-eating amoeba — after swimming in Florida.

Caleb Ziegelbauer caught the life-threatening an infection whereas swimming at Port Charlotte Seaside on July 1, in accordance with a GoFundMe web page.

5 days later, he complained of a headache that was then adopted by a fever and disorientation.

He was rushed to a hospital the place he was recognized with meningitis and positioned in PICU, in accordance with the web page. Medical doctors later confirmed the amoeba was inflicting his sickness.

“Lots of instances individuals don’t get to the hospital shortly sufficient. We’re hoping that we did,” Caleb’s aunt, Katie Chiet, instructedNBC2.

“He’s simply the kindest soul however he’s so robust. He’s so robust. Just like the combating on the skin, that’s what we’re doing,” one other aunt, Elizabeth Ziegelbauer, instructed the NBC station. “He's combating his little coronary heart out on the within.”

Naegleria fowleri presents in children as though they have meningitis.
Naegleria fowleri presents in kids as if they've meningitis.
Getty Pictures

Chiet stated Caleb was exhibiting signs for a few days earlier than the household realized it may very well be the water he was swimming in that triggered the amoeba.

“He began to obtain the CDC protocol to deal with the amoeba on July 10,” Chiet wrote within the GoFundMe publish.

“He required a short interval of sedation and intubation however has been respiration on his personal for nearly a full week now!” the replace continued. “His MRI scan from 7/20 continues to indicate harm in his mind left by the amoeba however we stay hopeful that he’ll flip the nook quickly and make his means again to us.”

In response to the Facilities for Illness Management and PreventionNaegleria fowleri is a uncommon illness that's nearly at all times deadly, with solely 4 out of 154 individuals within the US having survived the an infection from 1962 to 2021.

It causes a uncommon and nearly at all times deadly an infection of the mind known as main amebic meningoencephalitis.

Folks can change into contaminated when water containing the amoeba enters the nostril and migrates to the mind. Signs typically begin one to 9 days after publicity and many individuals die inside 18 days of exhibiting signs, in accordance with the CDC

Earlier this month, an Iowa freshwater seashore was shut down when a Missouri lady who swam there turned contaminated with the amoeba.

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