LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Lake Mead visitors enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at Swim Beach Thursday unaware health officials had signaled the alarm that a boy had contracted a brain eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, nearby.
The parasite killed the Clark County resident.
When they learned, the reaction was universal.
"We drove down here and I was thinking about putting my feet in and just walking down there," Amtul Siddiqui said, "but no. Nor would I allow my children to go in there now."
"We won't be swimming in this water," Cindy Edwards said, and her husband Wayne responded "we were actually going to wade in it and put on our vests and go swimming. I don't think so now."
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The Edwards said it was shocking to hear the parasite is common in warm bodies of fresh water as they've visited Lake Mead for years and never heard of such a thing.
"We have been coming out here for the last 25 years and we have brought our kids out here never thinking that would happen," Cindy said.
"That's something you would think would happen in Peru or down by the equator," Wayne said.
Kimberly Franich, Communicable Disease Manager at the Southern Nevada Health District, said the county had never encountered a case of Naegleria fowleri before this week.
She said, while it is common in the environment, human infection is incredibly rare.
When a human is infected, however, Franich said it is almost always deadly.
"Once the person develops symptoms, that leads to death within about five days," she said.
SNHD officials said, because the parasite is so common, it is best to avoid swimming in warm fresh water completely.
If someone chooses to swim in the water, they shouldn't put their head under the water and, if that is unavoidable, clip their nose so no water gets into their nasal passages where the parasite can enter the brain.
