10-Year-Old Girl Dies Two Weeks After Ear Pain Following Water Play at Hotel Swimming Pool

Died Two Weeks After Infection with 'Brain-Eating Amoeba'
97% Fatality Rate... Avoid Swimming in Warm Freshwater

A 10-year-old girl who complained of ear pain after playing in a hotel swimming pool was infected with the 'brain-eating amoeba' and eventually died.

According to recent reports from foreign media such as the UK's Daily Mail, Stefania Villamizar Gonzalez (10), who lives in Colombia, showed symptoms such as ear pain, fever, and vomiting after playing in a hotel swimming pool during last summer vacation.

A 10-year-old girl who complained of ear pain after playing in a hotel swimming pool was infected with a 'brain-eating amoeba' and eventually passed away. The photo is not directly related. [Image source=Pixabay]

After returning home, the girl's condition seemed to improve somewhat, but two weeks later she experienced seizures and other symptoms, and ultimately passed away. The cause of Gonzalez's death was an infection by Naegleria fowleri, known as the 'brain-eating amoeba.'

A close relative of Gonzalez said in an interview with local media, "We share this story hoping that other children and families do not go through this situation," adding, "We were deeply shocked by Stefania's death."

The person in charge of the hotel where Gonzalez is presumed to have been infected with Naegleria fowleri stated that they would strengthen safety standards. So far, there have been no reports of criminal liability on the part of the hotel.

Naegleria fowleri, known as the 'brain-eating amoeba'

Naegleria fowleri, called the 'brain-eating amoeba,' is mainly contracted when swimming or diving in warm freshwater such as rivers or lakes. It enters through the nose and travels to the brain, destroying tissue. Although infection is rare, it progresses rapidly and there is no effective treatment. The fatality rate reaches as high as 97%. Early symptoms resemble those of a cold, including headache, vomiting, nausea, and fever, but as time passes, hallucinations, seizures, loss of balance, and cognitive decline occur.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among 151 reported infection cases in the U.S. from 1962 to 2020, only 4 survived. Globally, 381 cases had been reported by 2018. The CDC recommends immediate medical treatment if symptoms similar to bacterial meningitis, such as vomiting or fever, appear after swimming in freshwater during warm weather. Experts also advise avoiding diving or submerging the head in freshwater and recommend that children wear swimming nose clips to prevent water from entering the nose.

Recent infection cases include a woman in her 30s living in Taipei, Taiwan, who died after being infected with the brain-eating amoeba following two visits to domestic water play facilities in August. She initially visited a hospital with symptoms of headache, fever, and chills, but her condition rapidly worsened, and she died within a week. In July, a two-year-old child in Nevada, USA, also died from infection by this amoeba.

There have been no reported cases of brain-eating amoeba infection from playing in water in Korea. However, last December, a man in his 50s who stayed in Thailand for four months died from Naegleria fowleri infection. It was confirmed that he was infected locally.