Six-year-old Josiah McIntyre of Houston, Texas is believed to have contracted the brain-eating amoeba known as Naegleria fowleri after exposure to contaminated tap water.
After Josiah's death, authorities in Lake Jackson, Texas, warned residents not to use tap water for anything other than flushing toilets.
Josiah was a big fan of the baseball team, the Huston Astros, and an active little boy. His family wrote, «He loved and cared for many people.»
Josiah died in hospital on September 8 after battling primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by the microscopic amoeba Naegleria fowleri.
Amoeba lives in warm fresh water (for example, in rivers and lakes), as well as in soil.
Infection usually occurs when contaminated water enters the body through the nose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the disease is usually fatal.
Infection usually occurs when people swim in contaminated water, according to the CDC, but on very rare occasions it can occur through contact with insufficiently chlorinated water.
After the death of the child, an inspection of the city water supply was carried out. 3 out of 11 samples tested positive for genetic material associated with Naegleria Fowleri.
