Louisiana girl, 8, dies from rare brain-eating amoeba after lake swim

An eight-year-old girl in Louisiana has died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba infection following a swim in a local lake. The infection, caused by a microscopic organism, is known to be almost always fatal once contracted. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that such cases are extremely uncommon, with very few reported nationally. Health authorities are urging swimmers to take precautions, particularly by preventing water from entering the nose, to reduce the risk of infection.