North Carolina Teen Dies from Rare Naegleria fowleri Infection

A North Carolina teenager died from primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and often fatal brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba that lives in warm freshwater, state health officials said. The teen’s mother, who launched a GoFundMe campaign, reported that his first symptom was severe headaches. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services expressed condolences to the family and noted the death follows a recent case in Louisiana.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore emphasized that while infections are uncommon, the amoeba is present in the state and across the United States, and advised the public on risk-reduction steps for swimming during warmer months. Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UT Southwestern, explained that the organism becomes active in hot, stagnant water and can enter the nose when people dive or engage in water sports, leading to a near-100% mortality rate once brain invasion occurs.

Health authorities describe early signs of the disease as headache, nausea, fever and vomiting, which can appear five days after exposure and progress rapidly to confusion, stiff neck, seizures and coma. Diagnosis requires cerebrospinal fluid testing, and treatment involves a combination of antimicrobial and anti-amoebic drugs, though outcomes remain poor. The CDC advises swimmers to avoid warm, stagnant freshwater, use nose clips, keep their heads above water, and refrain from disturbing sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers.