{"id":1030185,"date":"2026-08-28T20:54:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:54:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1030185\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T20:54:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:54:20","slug":"central-nc-teen-critically-ill-with-rare-amoeba-infection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1030185\/","title":{"rendered":"Central NC teen critically ill with rare amoeba infection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"sub-text\">Eight years after their son died from a brain-eating amoeba, the Smelskis are relieved to help announce a new test in their home state. FOX 35 Orlando explains.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><strong>THE TAKEAWAY<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">A North Carolina teen is critically ill with a rare amoeba infection.<\/li>\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">Naegleria fowleri is found naturally in warm freshwater.<\/li>\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">State officials urge precautions during late-summer swimming.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">A central <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/north-carolina\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">North Carolina<\/a> teenager has been critically injured by a rare brain-eating amoeba, according to state <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">health<\/a> officials.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported a rare illness caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba commonly found in warm freshwater.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brain-eater.png\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis can be caught in warm water locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"sub-text\"><strong> (CDC)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">The teen patient is critically ill and receiving medical care.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">&#8220;Our hearts go out to this teen\u2019s family, friends and loved ones as they navigate this difficult time,&#8221; said State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, M.D.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">&#8220;While these infections are very rare, this is an important reminder that this amoeba is present in our state and across the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">U.S.<\/a> There are steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection while swimming during the warmer months.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/gettyimages-2171358452.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">Central North Carolina teen in critical condition with rare amoeba infection.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sub-text\"><strong> (Ron Buskirk\/UCG\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">The source of the amoeba is still under investigation, officials said.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">The central North Carolina case comes just days after an 8-year-old girl died after contracting the brain-eating amoeba, likely after swimming in Lake Claiborne in north <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/Louisiana\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Louisiana<\/a>, the Louisiana Department of Health said.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/lifestyle\/young-child-dies-suspected-brain-eating-amoeba-louisiana\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>8-YEAR-OLD GIRL DIES FROM SUSPECTED BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA IN LOUISIANA<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Naegleria fowleri typically enters a human through the nose after <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/recreation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">swimming<\/a> or diving in a lake, river or other body of freshwater during the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/summer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">summer<\/a> months, and there have been reports of traces in tap water, poorly maintained swimming pools and chlorine wave parks.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Earlier this year, a study revealed traces of the deadly amoeba that were found in freshwater at popular <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/national-parks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">National Parks<\/a> in Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/weather-news\/popular-national-parks-breeding-ground-parasidic-amoeba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA DETECTED IN WATER AT ICONIC US NATIONAL PARKS, STUDY FINDS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/gettyimages-1411553772-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">A boat tows a water-skier across Boulder Basin, set against mineral-stained rocks in 2022, in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. Swimming and diving are the most commonly linked activities to Naegleria fowleri infections, but other water-based recreation\u2014including water skiing, splashing, and water festivals\u2014has also been associated with confirmed fatalities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"sub-text\"><strong> (Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">According to the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/naegleria\/about\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Center for Disease Control <\/a>(CDC), Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs and can infect the brain and destroy brain tissue. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">The amoeba typically enters a human through the nose after swimming or diving in a lake, river or other body of freshwater during the summer months, and there have been reports of traces in tap water, poorly maintained swimming pools and chlorine wave parks.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/earth-space\/lions-loose-reports-lioness-cub-missing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>REPORTS OF LIONS ON THE LOOSE SEND INDIANA OFFICIALS ON ROARING SEARCH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">While there is no way to eliminate Naegleria fowleri from the environment, the NCDHHS recommends these precautions:<\/p>\n<ul data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">Keep water out of your nose by holding it shut, using nose clips or keeping your head above water during warm freshwater activities.<\/li>\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">Avoid putting your head underwater in hot springs or other thermal waters.<\/li>\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">Avoid jumping or diving into warm freshwater when water temperatures are high and levels are low.<\/li>\n<li data-v-2519e4fa=\"\">Avoid digging in or stirring up sediment in shallow, warm freshwater areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Eight years after their son died from a brain-eating amoeba, the Smelskis are relieved to help announce a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1030186,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[11],"tags":[210,29480,519,1371,270390,1176,67,132,68],"class_list":["post-1030185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-health","tag-national-parks","tag-north-carolina","tag-recreation","tag-stay22","tag-summer","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/117175130247458362","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1030185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030185\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1030186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1030185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1030185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1030185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}