Rare brain-eating amoeba kills NC teen amid summer water risk

A North Carolina teen died from primary amebic meningoencephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater. Infection typically occurs when water containing the amoeba is forced up the nose during swimming, leading to a rapidly progressing brain infection with a near-100% mortality rate. Prevention centers on avoiding high-risk waters or using nose clips, while treatment involves antimicrobial/anti-amoebic drug combinations with limited success; the case follows a recent Louisiana death from the same infection.