A Sumter County child was killed by an "extremely rare" brain infection, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Lab tests confirmed the boy's diagnosis Wednesday evening. DHEC officials say the child was exposed to an organism called "Naegleria fowleri".
DHEC did not identify the child's name or age because it would "be a violation of federal law to provide information about the child's identity," but according to a Facebook page created in the past few days, the child was identified as 8-year-old Blake Driggers.
That page, called "Prayers for Blake Driggers", says he passed away on Tuesday from the infection.
Blake's two sisters, Heather and Marybeth Dooley, have been released from the hospital.
A post on the Facebook page indicates that the sisters were hospitalized for precautionary measures and are receiving antibiotics until results from cultures sent to the CDC come back. The same Facebook page reports the girls have been released.
Northside Memorial Baptist Church youth pastor Jim Johnson and his wife Keleigh said the days leading up to Blake Driggers' death were fun-packed at the beach last weekend with a friend and at Lake Marion two weeks before.
"They were just there with family having a typical family outing," said Johnson.
It was that trip and tubing and jumping from the dock that the 8-year-old likely contracted the rare infection. It's been tough for the entire community. More than 2,100 followed the updates on FACEBOOK.
"They have a huge family and a huge following of friends here in Sumter and the community has come together," Johnson said.
The family is anxious to be back in Sumter and are grateful for the prayers and support. They've found peace believing this was God's plan.
"She said this is his plan," said Keleigh Johnson. "God already has his plan so I'm going to hold firm on that promise."
It's taught their church family an important lesson.
"We have children and they're precious and four our church family we've actually loved on our kids," said Jim.
Funeral services for the 8 year old will be held on Monday .
Officials say the organism that killed Driggers is present in warm lakes, rivers, and streams in this region of the country.
Scientists say the infection's severity increases very quickly, resulting in death within one to 12 days. It cannot spread from person to person.
"People should avoid swimming or jumping into bodies of fresh water when the water is warm and the water levels are low," said DHEC epidemiologist Kathleen Antonetti in a press release. "You cannot be infected by merely drinking water containing the amoeba. These infections are so rare, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented only 32 cases in this country from 2001 to 2010."
Dr. Bill Tynan at DHEC said there have been six cases in South Carolina in the past 40 years.
And that your chances of getting sick from it are infinitesimally small.
The only way it can infect you is if water from ponds, rivers or poorly maintained swimming pools gets into your brain.
Tynan says the water has to go far up your nose and then settle in your brain tissue.
"It causes an infection," said Dr. Tynan. "It grows it multiplies, the body sees it as foreign and attempts to destroy it. That causes inflammation and that's what makes people so ill and leads to their death."
According to the CDC, Naegleria fowleri is found around the world. In the United States, the majority of infections have been caused by exposure in freshwater located in southern states. Typically, the amoeba can be found in:
· Bodies of warm freshwater, such as lakes and rivers
· Geothermal (naturally hot) water, such as hot springs
· Warm water discharge from industrial plants
· Geothermal (naturally hot) drinking water sources
· Soil
· Swimming pools that are poorly maintained, with either low levels of chlorine or un chlorinated
· Water heaters with temperatures less than 116°F.
Visitation for Driggers is from 6 - 8 p.m. at Elmore Cannon Stephens Funeral Home in Sumter. The Funeral is Monday at 10 a.m. at Northside Memorial Baptist Church in Sumter.
Donations can be made at:
rememberblakedriggers@gmail.com
They have setup the "Blake Driggers Memorial Fund" at SAFE Federal Credit Union in Sumter, SC. You can donate at any SAFE branch. You can also mail/drop off donations at Northside Memorial Baptist Church. The church's address is 1004 North Main Street, Sumter, SC 29153.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
(Source: "Prayers for Blake Driggers" Facebook page)
