Lily Mae Avant

A 10-year-old Texas girl, Lily Mae Avant has died after being infected with a brain-eating amoeba while swimming in a river.

Lily, who started suffering from a headache and fever after swimming in the Brazos River and Lake Whitney died in hospital following a week-long battle with the rare amoeba.

According to a Facebook page set up in support of Lily, her symptoms were initially put down to a common viral infection but when she became incoherent and unresponsive, she was flown to hospital in Fort Worth.

A spinal scan found that she had contracted naegleria fowleri, a single-cell living organism which can cause the brain to swell and cut off blood flow.

Lily Mae’s school, Valley Mills Elementary, confirmed she had died on Monday.

In a Facebook post, Valley Mills Elementary said its management and students were deeply saddened by her loss, adding that she was an outstanding student.

“She was loving, kind, respectful and had a beautiful heart,” the school added. 

Her family are also hoping to raise awareness about the rare amoeba, which can be found in warm freshwater such as lakes, rivers and hot springs.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, out of 145 known cases in the United States between 1962 and 2018, only four people have survived, putting the fatality rate at over 97 percent.