A North Carolina teenager died this week from primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a nearly always fatal brain infection caused by the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The teen’s mother set up a GoFundMe page and said the first symptom was a severe headache.
Health officials issue warning
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services expressed condolences to the family and reminded residents that the amoeba thrives in warm, stagnant freshwater during the summer months. State epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore said the infection is rare but underscores the need for vigilance when swimming in lakes, ponds, or rivers.
How the infection occurs
Naegleria fowleri enters the body when contaminated water is forced up the nose, such as during diving, jumping, or water‑sports activities. It does not cause illness by swallowing water and cannot be spread from person to person.
Symptoms typically appear five to twelve days after exposure and begin with headache, nausea, fever, or vomiting. As the disease progresses, patients may experience confusion, stiff neck, seizures, and coma. The mortality rate is close to 100 percent, according to Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UT Southwestern.
Prevention tips
Doctors recommend avoiding warm, stagnant freshwater when possible. If swimming cannot be avoided, they advise using a nose clip, keeping the head above water, and avoiding stirring up sediment at the bottom of lakes or ponds.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also suggests staying informed about local water conditions and seeking immediate medical attention if sudden headache, fever, stiff neck, or vomiting occur after water exposure.
Treatment challenges
Treatment involves a combination of antimicrobial and anti‑amoebic drugs, including amphotericin B, azithromycin, rifampin, and miltefosine. Because cases are so rare, doctors have limited data on the most effective regimen, and the disease often progresses too quickly for therapy to be successful.
The teen’s death follows a similar case in Louisiana where an eight‑year‑old girl succumbed to the same infection, highlighting that the threat is present across multiple states.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
