A teenager in central North Carolina has died after contracting a rare brain infection caused by an amoeba, according to HuffPost. The death comes just days after an 8-year-old girl in the state also died from the same type of infection.
HuffPost reports the teen’s infection was linked to freshwater exposure. The amoeba, commonly referred to as a brain-eating amoeba, is typically found in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds, though the specific location of exposure in this case was not detailed in the reporting.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the teen’s infection, according to WRAL. The agency identified the case as a rare brain infection caused by the amoeba, but did not release additional identifying information about the teen.
The two deaths in the same state within days of each other have drawn attention to the risks associated with freshwater activities during warm weather. ABC News, citing officials, noted the amoeba is rare but can be fatal when it enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain.
Doctors have also warned that a common water habit—such as splashing water up the nose or using neti pots with untreated tap water—can increase the risk of infection, according to WLBT. Public health guidance generally advises avoiding getting water up the nose in warm freshwater settings.
Health officials have not indicated whether the two North Carolina cases are connected beyond the shared cause. The amoeba infection is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person, according to standard public health knowledge, though this specific point was not covered in the source material.
What to watch next: Whether state health officials issue new freshwater safety advisories following the back-to-back deaths.
