North Carolina Teen Falls Critically Ill From Brain-Eating Amoeba as 97% of U.S. Cases Prove Fatal
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Aug 31
North Carolina Teen Falls Critically Ill From Brain-Eating Amoeba as 97% of U.S. Cases Prove Fatal
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Aug 31
Summary
A North Carolina teenager is in critical condition after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis; state officials have not identified the patient and are investigating the exposure source.
Fewer than 10 Americans are infected each year, but 97% die, often within about five days as the infection triggers severe neurological symptoms including seizures and coma.
Hot freshwater exposure is the main risk: the amoeba can become deadly when contaminated water is forced up the nose during swimming, diving or similar activities, not when swallowed.
157 U.S. cases were recorded from 1937 to 2025, mostly in July and August, and health officials say prolonged heat boosts the amoeba's growth in ponds, lakes and rivers.
North Carolina recently faced triple-digit heat, and forecasters expect more extreme warmth in what could be the hottest U.S. summer on record, raising concern about conditions that favor the organism.