Child dies after amoeba caused rare brain infection, NC health dept. says

A child who became sick after swimming in a pond earlier this month died Friday from a rare brain infection caused by an amoeba found in freshwater, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday.

The child, whose name and age were withheld, was swimming in a private pond on the family’s residence in central North Carolina in early August when the child became ill, DHHS said in a news release.

Public health officials later confirmed through laboratory testing conducted at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that the child suffered a rare brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba, or single-celled organism, that is naturally present in freshwater.

In a statement, State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore expressed his condolences to the child’s family and said North Carolinians should be aware of the risk of infection when swimming in freshwater.

“Although these infections are very rare, this is an important reminder that this amoeba is present in North Carolina and that there are actions people can take to reduce their risk of infection when swimming in the summer,” Moore said in the release.

The amoeba doesn’t cause illness if swallowed but can be fatal “if forced up the nose, as can occur during jumping into water, diving, water-skiing or other water activities,” the health department said.

Symptoms of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, the infection caused by the amoeba, begin with severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, DHHS said. They can later progress to a stiff neck, seizures and coma, and can lead to death.

The health department said there were 147 known Naegleria fowleri infections from 1962 to 2019 across the country, with North Carolina having six of them in that time period. Typically, there are zero to eight cases a year in the U.S., NC DHHS said.

A 7-year-old boy in California died Aug. 7, from the same infection as the North Carolina child, The Los Angeles Times reported. The boy had swum in a freshwater lake, the LA Times reports, and died eight days after he was placed on life support.

Infections usually occur when it is hot for a prolonged period of time, which results in higher water temperatures, DHHS said. The amoeba grows best at temperatures up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

To avoid getting infected while swimming in the summer, the department recommends that people:

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