A child in North Carolina has died after developing a rare brain infection caused by an amoeba found in freshwater, state health officials said Tuesday.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed in a news release that the child, who was not identified, died Friday “after developing an illness caused by an amoeba that is naturally present in freshwater,” known as Naegleria fowleri.
The child became sick after swimming in a private pond at their family’s residence in central North Carolina earlier this month.
“Our heart-felt condolences and sympathies are with the family and friends of this child,” Zack Moore, state epidemiologist, said in the release. “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.”
Laboratory testing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the child’s sickness was caused by the Naegleria fowleri. The amoeba is not dangerous if swallowed, but it can cause sicknesses if it is “forced up the nose,” North Carolina officials stated in the Tuesday release.
A Naegleria fowleri infection, called primary amebic meningoencephalitis, can initially cause headaches, fever, nausea and vomiting. A more developed infection can cause stiff neck, seizures and a coma. It has a fatality rate of over 97 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Naegleria fowleri is commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba.”
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North Carolina health officials encouraged people to “limit the amount of water going up your nose” when in freshwater, avoid digging up sediment in freshwater areas and more to protect against the amoeba.
There were 147 known Naegleria fowleri infections in the U.S. between 1962 and 2019.
The North Carolina child’s death comes less than a week after a California boy died from an infection from the amoeba. David Pruitt, 7, of Tehoma County, California, died on Aug. 7.
