Horrifying PSA
Boy’s unusual symptoms could help identify the next case sooner.
Balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living amoeba (a single-celled living organism) naturally present in the environment. Balamuthia can cause a rare and serious brain infection called amoebic granulomatous encephalitis. (Photo by: CDC/IMAGE POINT FR/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Getty | CDC
A healthy toddler in Washington state fell ill abruptly. It began with vomiting, lethargy, and weakness on his right side. Then it progressed to a headache, fever, and trouble swallowing. At one point, he briefly became unresponsive, and he had episodes where he stopped breathing. Doctors admitted him to the hospital, but his condition only deteriorated.
