Brain-eating amoeba kills North Carolina teen in rare infection

Key Points:

• A North Carolina teenager has died from a rare and often fatal brain infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, which is found in warm freshwater such as ponds, lakes, and rivers.
• The infection, called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), occurs when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the amoeba to reach the brain; it has a nearly 100% mortality rate and progresses rapidly after symptom onset.
• Early symptoms include severe headaches, nausea, fever, and vomiting, progressing to confusion, seizures, and coma, with most patients dying within 1 to 18 days after symptoms begin.
• Health officials advise precautions such as avoiding warm stagnant waters, wearing nose clips, and not submerging the head during water activities to reduce infection risk, as the amoeba does not infect through swallowing water or person-to-person contact.
• Treatment involves a combination of antimicrobial drugs, but due to the rarity and rapid progression of cases, successful outcomes are extremely limited.