NC teenager critically ill with brain-eating amoeba. What we know
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One case of a brain-eating amoeba has been identified in a North Carolina teenager, the NC Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday, Aug. 27.
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A central North Carolina teen has contracted Naegleria Fowleri, a single-celled organism found in fresh water that destroys brain tissue. A Louisiana child died of Naegleria Fowleri on Aug. 8, shortly after her eighth birthday.
To protect the identity of the teenager and family, NCDHHS has not released further details. The teenager is “critically ill and receiving medical care.”
Naegleria Fowleri infects people after water containing the amoeba goes up the nose. It causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis. While fewer than 10 people typically die of primary amebic meningoencephalitis yearly, nearly everyone who has it dies, according to the Center for Disease Control.
“Our hearts go out to this teen’s family, friends and loved ones as they navigate this difficult time,” State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, M.D said in a press release. “While these infections are very rare, this is an important reminder that this amoeba is present in our state and across the U.S. There are steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection while swimming during the warmer months.”
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The infections typically occur in hot weather, as the amoeba grows best at 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
In 2019, an infection was reported in Cumberland County. In 2016, a college student died of an infection after capsizing a raft at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte. Her family eventually settled with the center, The Observer previously reported.
While it isn’t possible to entirely eliminate Naegleria Fowleri from the environment, some safety precautions can help, according to NCDHHS:
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