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NC Teen Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba
17 Sep
Summary
- A North Carolina teen died from a rare brain infection.
- Health officials suspect exposure from a community center water feature.
- Fewer than 10 Naegleria fowleri cases occur annually in the US.
A North Carolina teenager died on August 31 from a rare and aggressive brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba. State health officials are investigating the incident, with preliminary findings pointing to a water feature at El Futuro, a community center in Durham County, as the most probable source of exposure. The water feature was subsequently closed and tested positive for the amoeba.
The investigation could not definitively pinpoint the location of exposure, but interviews and environmental testing suggested the community center's water feature as the likely culprit. The teen, identified as 17-year-old Moises Ponce Mendoza, was hospitalized on August 21 with severe headaches and diagnosed with the Naegleria fowleri infection on August 26. Sadly, he passed away four days later.
Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic amoeba found in warm freshwater and can cause a fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) if contaminated water enters the nose. Symptoms typically begin about five days after exposure and can rapidly progress, often leading to death within days. Infections are extremely rare, with fewer than 10 cases reported nationally each year, and over 97% of those infected die. The CDC notes that these infections are more common during hot weather when water temperatures are higher.
