Teen battling rare brain-eating amoeba contracted after swimming in freshwater

A teenager has been hospitalized and is in a ‘critical condition’ after catching a rare brain-eating amoeba while swimming in freshwater. 

The patient is in North Carolina and was infected with Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled organism found in fresh water that travels up the nose to the brain.

Health officials in the state, who revealed the case, have not yet confirmed the source but are urging all residents to take extra care before swimming in ponds, lakes or rivers.

In a release, they said the teenager is ‘critically ill and receiving medical care.’

No further details have been revealed, including the patient’s name or where in the state they are located, which officials said was to protect their privacy. 

N. fowleri is naturally present in fresh water ponds, lakes and rivers and surges in numbers during the summer months when water temperatures can reach above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The amoeba does not cause illness if swallowed, but it can be fatal if water containing the amoeba is forced up the nose, which can be caused by jumping or diving into fresh water or watersports and activities.

There is a higher risk of infection if water is warm for a prolonged period of time, which allows the organism to quickly multiply. Male children and teenagers are most at risk from infection, according to health officials.

Infections are rare, with about three currently recorded in the US every year.

The North Carolina case marks the second recorded nationwide this year, after a child in Louisiana, Lillian Smart, died from the amoeba shortly after her eighth birthday. 

It is also the first case in North Carolina since 2019, when a teenager was also infected. The state also recorded a case in 2016, when a college student died of an infection they caught after capsizing a raft.

Dr Zack Moore, the state epidemiologist, said in a statement: ‘Our hearts go out to this teen’s family, friends and loved ones as they navigate this difficult time. 

‘While these infections are very rare, this is an important reminder that this amoeba is present in our state and across the US.

‘There are steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection while swimming during warmer months.’ 

Symptoms of the infection start with a severe headache, fever, nausea and vomiting that progress to stiff neck, seizures and coma. 

The disease progresses rapidly, with many patients dying within five days. It has a fatality rate of more than 97 percent. 

It causes the condition primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or inflammation of the brain and the surrounding area.

Treatment includes a cocktail of drugs to help eliminate the pathogen and reduce swelling.

There are several ways to slash the risk of catching the amoeba when jumping into or swimming in freshwater. 

These include; holding the nose shut or using a nose clip, keeping the head above the water, avoiding dunking your head into hot springs and thermal waters, avoiding jumping or diving into fresh water during warm periods and avoiding digging or stirring up the sediment of fresh water while taking part in water-related activities.

For Smart, she died from the amoeba just one day after her eighth birthday, her parents said in a heartbreaking post on Facebook.

She became infected after swimming at Lake Claiborne in Louisiana.  

‘Last night, Lillian ran from our arms to the arms of Jesus,’ the girl’s parents wrote. ‘The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from.’

‘Everyone did everything they could to keep her here,’ the parents continued, noting they are ‘heartbroken and honestly do not know what to do next.

‘How do we put one foot in front of the other without our girl?’