A North Carolina teenager has died after being infected by Naegleria fowleri, a rare and almost always fatal brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater, state health officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced the death on Tuesday. Further extending condolences to the teenager’s family, friends, and community. The teen’s identity was not released. Officials had disclosed last Thursday that the teenager was critically ill, warning that once symptoms begin, the disease “progresses rapidly and usually causes death within about five days.”
Naegleria fowleri is found in warm freshwater environments, including ponds, lakes, and rivers, and thrives in hotter temperatures. The amoeba does not cause illness if swallowed. It becomes fatal when water containing the organism is forced up the nose and into the brain. This can occur during activities such as jumping into water, diving, or water-skiing.
The NCDHHS said it is working with federal and local partners to investigate all possible sources of exposure in this case.
Early symptoms of infection include severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and fever. As the disease progresses, symptoms escalate to a stiff neck, seizures, and coma. Survival is extremely rare. The United States typically records fewer than ten cases of Naegleria fowleri infection each year.
The North Carolina death follows a separate case in Louisiana last month. One that saw eight-year-old Lillian Smart die after likely contracting the amoeba while swimming in a lake.
Health officials urge swimmers in warm freshwater to avoid submerging their heads and to use nose clips. As well as stay out of the water during periods of unusually high temperatures, when amoeba concentrations are likely to be at their highest.
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