ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Student Megan Ebenroth, 17, tragically died last month after swimming in Georgia and contracting a rare, brain-eating amoeba. The New York Post states that although the death was announced last month, the victim's identity was not known at the time. The public safety alert stated that Megan's death was the sixth such death to have been documented in Georgia since 1962. The organization stated that even though there is a small chance of contracting an infection, "recreational water users should always assume there is a risk when they enter warm fresh water."
Who was Megan Ebenroth?
On July 22, Megan Ebenroth, a resident of Dearing in McDuffie County close to Augusta, died barely 11 days after swimming with friends in a freshwater lake in Georgia. She contracted a single-celled bacterium (Naegleria fowleri) infection, which may enter swimmers' noses and move along neurons to the brain. She was described by her family as a bright, straight-A student who had aspirations of attending the University of Georgia. According to WRDW-TV, Megan was about to start her senior year at Thomson High School and served in various leadership roles, including vice president of the Spanish Club at her school and president of the Beta Club.
The teen's mother Christina Ebenroth told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "I’m still in shock," while speaking about the "extraordinary" student's death. "But I can’t keep silent about her." On July 11, Megan reportedly went swimming at a lake close to her house in Dearing, McDuffie County, with a few of her pals. Before commencing her senior year, the high school student wanted to take pleasure in the last few weeks of summer.
'Mental state changed so drastically'
Megan's mother took her to the hospital when she woke up with a bad headache four days after the fateful swim. The young person was given an antibiotic prescription and sent home after a sinusitis diagnosis was made. Megan's mother confirmed her death to WRDW-TV only days after the Georgia Department of Public Health released a public safety advisory about the infection. Christina told the news source, "I do want it to be known that Doctors Hospital tried to do a spinal tap to diagnose her and that the Children’s Hospital at MCG fought aggressively for her."
According to Christina, her daughter's condition quickly worsened as she suffered migraines, headaches, a fever, and loss of balance. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was intubated and put into a medically induced coma, but it was already too late. In order to treat the patient's brain swelling, surgeons at one point cracked open Megan's skull. "I had the best doctors and nurses. I don’t blame anyone," Christina said to the Journal-Constitution. The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that Megan died from a brain infection.
Brain-eating amoeba swims up the noses and colonizes brains
It wasn't until July 21 that doctors proposed that Megan's difficulties might have been brought on by an infection with Naegleria fowleri, the now-famous brain-eating amoeba that colonizes people's brains and swims up their noses. The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that Naegleria fowleri symptoms often begin five days after infection with severe headaches, fevers, nausea, and vomiting, before moving on to stiffness, seizures, and a coma.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it specifically causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a severe disorder that results in swelling of the brain and the death of brain tissue. Despite being widespread, the microscopic monster prefers warm freshwater habitats including lakes, rivers, and hot springs, yet it may even live in unkempt swimming pools. A person cannot contract Naegleria fowleri from another person, nor can it survive in seawater. Sadly, the outlook is not good for those who contract this amoebic infection, which is said to be fatal 97% of the time. The illness advances rapidly and typically results in death within five days.
GoFundMe for Megan Ebenroth
A GoFundMe page was set up by the Belle Meade Country Club, where Megan's boyfriend Seth Adams works. All earnings, according to the company's explanation in the campaign's description, will be sent to her family. The GoFundMe campaign reads, "As most of you know our Cart Attendant Seth Adams has been an incredible asset to our club and operation over the past few years. Last week his Girlfriend Megan Ebenroth suddenly passed away from a rare brain infection and we would like to take this time of grief to help Megan's family out during these tough and trying times."
