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Son's fatal amoeba illness was untreatable, father says

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Phillip Gompf wanted to be an engineer because he liked taking things apart and seeing how they worked," his father says.

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By NATALIE SHEPHERD

nshepherd@wfla.com

Published: September 29, 2009

An accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment would not have been enough to save 10-year-old Philip Gompf, according to his father.

"Unfortunately, Philip's test looked extremely bad when he had the spinal tap done," said physician Timothy Gompf. "We really feel like if the correct treatment would have been started right away, the outcome would have been the same."

The boy died last month from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. He contracted the amoeba during a day spent with his cousins on Lake Arietta in Polk County.

Gompf said his son came down with a headache five days later. Both of his parents are doctors, and they had Philip checked out immediately. Twenty-four hours after that, he showed signs of meningitis, which include nausea and vomiting. He died Aug. 17.

Daniel Haight, director of the Polk County Health Department, said this parasite is common in most bodies of fresh water, but it rarely infects people and is very difficult to diagnose.

"It's extremely hard to treat and the treatments are often pretty toxic to people, so it is really difficult to treat and doesn't meet with success often," Haight said.

There have only been 30 cases of this disease in Florida since the 1960s, but doctors have seen an increase in cases in the past few years. Three boys died in Orange County in 2007. A 22-year-old man died this month after catching the amoeba at the Orlando Watersports complex.

Haight said the parasite is mostly found in warm, shallow waters.

"They have been seeing some more cases over the last few years, perhaps due to warmer climates, by increasing population, and more people utilizing recreational waters," Haight said.

Philip would have started the fifth grade at Walden Lake Elementary School in Plant City this year. His father said he was an honor student who got straight A's and liked golf.

"He was very smart, sensitive, he like doing things outdoors. He said he wanted to be an engineer because he liked taking things apart and seeing how they worked," his father said.

Gompf said Philip's death has been very difficult for his family, which includes Philip's older sister, Juliana, 14, and younger brother, William, 5.

"It has been hard the last month. I had an extremely beautiful son," Gompf said.

Natalie Shepherd can be reached at (813) 225-2703.

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