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Central NC teen critically ill with rare amoeba infection
FOX Weather • • general
Key Points:
- A central North Carolina teenager is critically ill with a rare brain-eating amoeba infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, which is naturally found in warm freshwater.
- The source of the amoeba infection is under investigation, and state officials emphasize the rarity of such cases but stress the importance of precautions during late-summer swimming.
- This case follows the recent death of an 8-year-old girl in Louisiana from a similar infection, highlighting the amoeba's presence in various freshwater bodies across the U.S.
- Naegleria fowleri typically infects people when contaminated water enters the nose during swimming or diving in warm freshwater, and has also been detected in tap water and poorly maintained pools.
- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services advises taking safety measures to reduce infection risk, as the amoeba cannot be eliminated from the environment.
