Key Takeaways
- A North Carolina teen remains critically ill after contracting Naegleria fowleri, days after 8-year-old Lillian Smart died from a suspected infection linked to swimming in a Louisiana lake.
- The rare amoeba thrives in warm freshwater and can reach the brain when contaminated water enters the nose, causing a fast-moving infection that has killed 163 of the 167 documented U.S. patients since 1962.
- Officials are investigating where the teen encountered the amoeba and recommend nose clips, keeping heads above warm freshwater, and avoiding shallow sediment to reduce exposure.
A North Carolina teenager is fighting for their life after contracting a brain-eating amoeba. The teen’s diagnosis follows the Aug. 22 death of 8-year-old Lillian Smart, who is believed to have encountered the same species of amoeba while swimming in a Louisiana lake.
According to People, North Carolina health officials announced on Thursday, August 27, that the unidentified teen is critically ill with an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. Where the teen encountered it remains unknown.
“The source for this case is under investigation,” the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said. The agency declined to release further details, citing the family’s privacy.
The back-to-back cases have placed a terrifying but exceptionally rare summertime danger back in the spotlight. Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm freshwater, including lakes, rivers, ponds and hot springs. It has also turned up in poorly maintained pools, splash pads and tap water.
People cannot become infected by swallowing contaminated water. The danger begins when the water is forced up the nose, giving the amoeba a pathway to the brain.
Once there, it can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM—an aggressive infection that destroys brain tissue and causes severe swelling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the organism is commonly called the “brain-eating ameba” because “it can infect the brain and destroy brain tissue.”
Symptoms can begin with a headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting before escalating to a stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. The decline can happen with alarming speed: most patients die between one and 18 days after symptoms appear.
The numbers underline just how unforgiving the infection can be. The CDC documented 173 U.S. cases between 1937 and 2025, with only four known survivors. Typically, fewer than 10 cases are reported nationwide each year.
The infection cannot pass from person to person, and properly chlorinated pools and salt water are not considered environments where the amoeba lives.
Health officials recommend holding the nose or wearing a nose clip while jumping or diving into warm freshwater, keeping the head above water in hot springs and avoiding sediment in shallow areas.
“Our hearts go out to this teen’s family, friends and loved ones as they navigate this difficult time,” North Carolina State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore said. He emphasized that the infections remain “very rare,” but warned that the amoeba is present in North Carolina and elsewhere across the country.
Researchers have also raised concerns that rising temperatures may create more warm-water environments where the organism can thrive.
