Kansas Girl Dies Of Brain Eating Amoeba Infection, Lake Safety Questioned

A town is mourning the loss of a 9-year-old Kansas girl who died after exposure to rare strain of brain-eating amoeba. The deadly bacteria, aka Naegleria fowleri, claimed the life of Hally Yust, who loved water sports and wanted to play college sports. After the girl’s death from contracting the uncommon infection, parents questioned the safety of the region’s lakes, according to a report Sunday from KCTV5.

Reportedly, Yust was taken to the hospital after complaining of meningitis-like symptoms, which are marked by severe headaches and an overall sense of feeling unwell. After a battery of tests, doctors diagnosed Hally with a condition caused by an amoeba that eats away at the brain.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment thinks the girl contracted the strain seven to 14 days before she succumbed to the brain eating amoeba. Her specific cause of death was from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (or PAM). Unfortunately, there is no cure if a person is exposed and the bacteria populates the brain.

As Johnson County Health Department investigator Tiffany Geiger explained to the media:

“The amoeba goes up through the nose and into the brain and once it’s there, there’s really nothing anybody can do. There’s only been one case that actually lived through this. All the other cases have passed away.”

Experts say infections from PAM are so rare that between 1962 and 2013, only 134 cases were formally diagnosed in the United States. Of those, 34 occurred in the last decade. Moreover, the brain-eating amoeba that killed the Kansas girl was only the second reported case in the state’s history.

Information contained in a USA Today report says that swimming in lakes ups the brain’s chances of being exposed to the virulent strain of amoeba that has no effective treatment or vaccine.

It’s commonly found in fresh water environments such as the lakes and natural bodies of water where people normally convene when temperatures rise, particularly in the summer. As an avid water skier, Hally had frequented several bodies of water around the time of her suspected exposure.

Note: This infection is markedly different from the flesh-eating bacteria previously reported by The Inquisitr.

As one can imagine, the loss of a child is hard for any parent to bear, and undoubtedly the Kansas girl who fell victim to the brain killing amoeba infection will be missed by family and friends.

Yust’s obituary read:

“Hally was home schooled and attended Mighty Oaks Enrichment Center in Gardner. With a lifelong passion to be a college basketball player, Hally knew no stranger and lived life to the fullest, sharing her love for Jesus. She enjoying waterskiing, water sports of any kind, farming with Dad, video making, song writing, and spending time with friends and family. As a giver, caretaker, sister, daughter, and friend, Hally was the light to the world and a blessing to all.”

Health officials warn swimmers and boaters of frequenting lakes in Kansas to take measures to protect themselves. While there is very little threat to public health due to the low number of infections, even one death is unsettling, especially when a child is involved.

Some precautions include using nose-clips or clasping your nose when taking part in water sports or swimming in fresh water lakes, minimizing dunking your head underwater and avoiding fresh water when the temperatures soar.

Still, some parents in the region are wary about the dangers of exposure, especially for children. However, many reason it’s best to be mindful of the risks of infection, and have a plan in place to avoid the unthinkable.

Kay Hansen and her family are fond of the refreshing lake waters during the summer. She offered her take on water safety in the wake of Hally’s death:

“We just wanted to have family time and get the jet ski out. We brought our grandson out for the first time ever and let him enjoy the lake. So, this is one of our favorite family pastimes. We just made sure we listened to what the precautions were and made sure we talked to the kids about it. We made sure we went over it many times not to let water get up in their nose.”

Trooper Mark Nepot with the Kansas Highway Patrol applauds the Hansen family for exercising caution.

“We don’t want people to be fearful of the lake and the water and continue to come out and support us and have fun on the lake. There is no reason to be fearful of that.”

To pay your respects to the Kansas girl who died from the brain-eating amoeba, the family requests, “In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hally ‘Bug’ Yust K-State Women’s Basketball Scholarship, Ahearn Fund, 1800 College Ave., suite 138, Manhattan, KS 66502.”

[Image via: Fox News]