Nebraska family recounts loved one lost to 'brain-eating amoeba'

KCCI 8 NEWS AT 10. HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE TESTING THE WATER IN A SOUTHWEST IOWA LIKE FOR BRAIN EATING AMOEBA THE BEACH CLOSED LAST WEEK AFTER THE AMOEBA INFECTED A SWIMMER WHO’S NOW IN THE ICU AND NEW TONIGHT THE SAME INFECTION IMPACTED IN NEBRASKA FAMILY WHO LOST A LOVED ONE YEARS AGO ALEX MCLOONE SHARES THEIR STORY IN HOPES OF RAISING AWARENESS. BECAUSE IT’S JUST GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO HOME JESSICA AND JOHN LIVINGSTON HAVE KEPT TABS OF PEOPLE INFECTED BY BRAIN EATING AMOEBA EVER SINCE JESSICA’S SECOND COUSIN. KYLE LEWIS WAS KILLED AFTER SWIMMING IN THE PALUXY RIVER IN TEXAS IN AUGUST OF 2010. WE’VE KNOWN THIS TO BE IN STATES MOSTLY IN THE SOUTH. YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S CREEPED A LITTLE BIT UP TOWARDS THE MIDWEST. IT’S KIND OF A TOUGH POSITION WHEN WE’RE INVITED TO LAKES. I MEAN WE ALWAYS WE ALWAYS THROW IT OUT THERE THAT YOU KNOW, YEAH, WE’LL WILL GO BUT WE JUST WE WON’T GET IN THE WATER. JOHN SAYS HE’S BEEN TO THIS BEACH AT LAKE OF THREE FIRE STATE PARK CLOSED BY OFFICIALS FOR SEVERAL DAYS AS THEY TEST THE WATER WHEN THE LIVINGSTON’S HEARD. THIS MAY BE THE SOURCE OF THAT INFECTED, MISSOURI RESIDENT. THEY RALLIED AROUND KYLE’S LEGACY AWARENESS AND THE KEEPING YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE WATER IS THE YOU KNOW, THE THE NUMBER ONE GOAL EXPERTS SAY THE PARASITE ENTERS THROUGH WATER GOING UP THE NOSE. THE CDC SAYS ONLY FOUR OUT OF A HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR PEOPLE SURVIVED. FACTION SINCE 1962 SYMPTOMS INCLUDE HEADACHE STIFF NECK AND SEIZURES ACCORDING TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT DR. MARK RUPP A HANDFUL OF CASES THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED WHERE PEOPLE HAVE SURVIVED AND THAT SEEMS TO BE MORE LIKELY WHEN THIS NEWER MEDICATION. THE MALTIPHAZINE IS USED DR. RUPP SAYS NEBRASKA MEDICINE PRESTATIONS THAT MEDICATION. I DON’T THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE AGAIN, IT IS QUITE RARE, NEBRASKA MEDICINE NURSE, JESSICA, LIVINGSTON. AS SHE PLAYED A PART IN BRINGING THAT TREATMENT TO OMAHA AND WHILE EXPERTS SAY INFECTION IS RARE. THIS FAMILY WANTS OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAY BE IN WARM BODIES OF FRESH WATER. EVEN THOUGH HE’S NOT HERE. HE JUST STILL FEELS SO CLOSE THAT WAS ALEX MCCLUNE REPORTING. THE CDC SAYS MOST INFECTIONS HAPPEN IN FRESHWATER WHEN TEMPERATURES REACHED TRIPLE DIGITS A RECENT STUDY FOUND THE PARASITE IS SHOWING UP IN THE MIDWEST MORE FREQUENTLY, WHICH COULD B

Iowa and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials are testing the water in a southwest Iowa lake for brain-eating amoeba after a Missouri resident was infected last week, according to the state's Department of Natural Resources.As the Iowa DNR closed the beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park, John and Jessica Livingston of Millard heard the parasite possibly reached the warm body of fresh water in the region, KETV reports."It's just getting closer and closer to home," Jessica said. "We've known this to be in states mostly in the South. You know, it's crept a little bit up towards the Midwest."Her cousin's 7-year-old son Kyle Lewis died in August of 2010 after swimming in the Puluxy River in Texas.The Center for Disease Control says infections happen in fresh water when temperatures reach triple digits. A recent study found the parasite is showing up in the midwest more frequently, which could be the result of rising temperatures in the region."It's kind of a tough position when we're invited to lakes," John said. "We always throw it out there that we'll go, but we just we won't get in the water."The husband and wife are a part of Kyle Cares Amoeba Awareness. Their main message is to prevent water from entering the nose.Experts say the parasite enters through water going up the nose. The CDC says only four out of 154 people survived infection since 1962.UNMC chief of infectious diseases Dr. Mark Rupp says Nebraska Medicine pre-stocks medication that treat infections."A handful of cases that have been described where people have survived, and that seems to be more likely when this newer medication that miltefosine is used," Rupp said.Jessica Livingston is a Nebraska Medicine nurse and says she played a part in bringing the treatment to the Omaha area.Experts say infection is rare, but the Livingstons and their families want others to understand what may be in warm bodies of fresh water."Even though not here, he just feels so close," Jessica said.Related coverage:

OMAHA, Neb. (KETV) —

As the Iowa DNR closed the beach at Lake of Three Fires State Park, John and Jessica Livingston of Millard heard the parasite possibly reached the warm body of fresh water in the region, KETV reports.

"It's just getting closer and closer to home," Jessica said. "We've known this to be in states mostly in the South. You know, it's crept a little bit up towards the Midwest."

Her cousin's 7-year-old son Kyle Lewis died in August of 2010 after swimming in the Puluxy River in Texas.

The Center for Disease Control says infections happen in fresh water when temperatures reach triple digits. A recent study found the parasite is showing up in the midwest more frequently, which could be the result of rising temperatures in the region.

"It's kind of a tough position when we're invited to lakes," John said. "We always throw it out there that we'll go, but we just we won't get in the water."

The husband and wife are a part of Kyle Cares Amoeba Awareness. Their main message is to prevent water from entering the nose.

Experts say the parasite enters through water going up the nose. The CDC says only four out of 154 people survived infection since 1962.

UNMC chief of infectious diseases Dr. Mark Rupp says Nebraska Medicine pre-stocks medication that treat infections.

"A handful of cases that have been described where people have survived, and that seems to be more likely when this newer medication that miltefosine is used," Rupp said.

Jessica Livingston is a Nebraska Medicine nurse and says she played a part in bringing the treatment to the Omaha area.

Experts say infection is rare, but the Livingstons and their families want others to understand what may be in warm bodies of fresh water.

"Even though [Kyle's] not here, he just feels so close," Jessica said.

Related coverage:

Nebraska family recounts loved one lost to 'brain-eating amoeba'

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