A teenager and her friends spend the day swimming in a lake and picnicking. The next day, she starts to feel sick complaining of a headache and general malaise. The following morning, she is very ill and is rushed to the emergency department. Many neurologic changes are noted. Despite the staff's best efforts, she dies. Autopsy reveals the presence of small protozoa in her brain tissue. What is the most probable organism that caused her death?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms of headache and neurologic changes suggest an infection of the central nervous system. The presence of small protozoa in the brain tissue indicates the probable cause of infection to be an amoebic infection. Out of the given options, Naegleria fowleri is the most common cause of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but fatal infection of the brain. Both Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia can also cause amoebic infections in the brain, but they are less likely to cause PAM. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a parasitic worm that can cause eosinophilic meningitis, but it is not transmitted through swimming or water activities.

A Teenager and Her Friends Spend the Day Swimming in a Lake