All articles tagged with #brain eating amoeba
CDC data show 180 US cases of Naegleria fowleri from 1937–2025, with Texas and Delaware reporting the most exposures; infections are rare but deadly, usually linked to warm freshwater, including recent cases in a Louisiana child and a North Carolina teen. Preventive tips include nose clips or pinching the nose, avoiding digging in shallow water, and keeping the head above water in hot springs.
Officials say 17-year-old Moises Ponce Mendoza likely contracted Naegleria fowleri, the brain‑eating amoeba, from a water feature at a Durham County community center. The feature tested positive and was closed; primary amebic meningoencephalitis is rare but usually fatal. Health guidance emphasizes avoiding nasal exposure to warm freshwater and using distilled water for nasal rinses. Mendoza died Aug. 31 after being hospitalized on Aug. 22.
A 17-year-old North Carolina teen, Moises Ponce Mendoza, died after likely contracting Naegleria fowleri from a water feature at El Futuro, a Durham County community center. The feature tested positive for the amoeba and was closed. Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare but typically fatal, with symptoms such as severe headache, fever, nausea, stiff neck, seizures and coma appearing days after exposure. Health officials urge precautions to prevent water from entering the nose during freshwater activities and note the amoeba can be found in warm freshwater and even some tap water. Investigators and public health officials are continuing to review exposure details while Mendoza’s family identified him publicly.
Health officials say a teenager who died from a brain-eating amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) was likely infected by a water feature at a community center, underscoring the risk of warm freshwater exposures.
A 17-year-old North Carolina boy died from a Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba) infection, with investigators citing a water feature at the El Futuro community center in Durham County as the most likely exposure source. The feature was closed Aug. 28 and later showed Naegleria fowleri DNA in its storage tank (non-viable), though investigators could not conclusively confirm where exposure occurred. The center is cooperating with public health officials. Naegleria infections are extremely rare and typically fatal, occurring when contaminated warm freshwater enters the nose.
A man-made creek outside El Futuro, a Durham mental-health center, is the likely source of exposure to Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba that killed 17-year-old Moises Ponce Mendoza; the feature has been closed since Aug. 28, with tests confirming the amoeba and officials citing inadequate disinfection and missing permitting as part of a broader public health investigation.
A North Carolina teen who died from Naegleria fowleri likely contracted the brain-eating amoeba at a Durham community organization, El Futuro, where an interactive water feature showed algae growth and insufficient disinfection. Environmental tests detected non-viable amoeba in the storage tank, and officials say exposure likely occurred when the teen splashed water on the face, though a definitive exposure site could not be confirmed; officials continue to emphasize that infections occur when amoebae enter the nasal passages, not by swallowing water.
State health officials concluded an outdoor water feature at El Futuro in Durham County is the most likely source of the Naegleria fowleri infection that killed a North Carolina teen; DNA was found in the feature’s storage tank, and the teen’s August 13 water contact aligns with the amoeba’s incubation period before August 19 symptoms. The feature was shut down on August 28 and remains closed.
A man-made creek outside Durham's El Futuro mental health center is the likely source of exposure to Naegleria fowleri, the brain-eating amoeba, in the death of 17-year-old Moses Mendoza. Investigators found the water feature was not properly disinfected and lacked required permits, leading to its closure on Aug. 28 as state officials continue the probe.
North Carolina health officials say a man-made water feature at a Durham County community organization is the likely source of a fatal brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri (brain-eating amoeba).
A 9-year-old boy is in serious condition with encephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri after swimming at Kursi Beach on the Sea of Galilee; the Health Ministry has confirmed the amoeba as the cause and says the infection is extremely rare worldwide. The boy is being treated at Rambam Medical Center, and authorities note it cannot be contracted from drinking water or from person-to-person contact. Public guidance urges avoiding water entering the nose (nose plugs recommended), not disturbing the bottom in shallow water, and seeking urgent medical care if symptoms such as fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, confusion, or drowsiness occur after water exposure.
A 17-year-old Burlington, NC, Moises Ponce Mendoza, died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba; health officials have not identified a likely exposure source and are investigating possible swimming locations, as his family seeks answers.
A North Carolina teenager died after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater. With a 97% fatality rate, infections typically progress quickly—often death within five days—and health officials say rising summer heat may be increasing cases, urging people to avoid warm water and nasal exposure to prevent infection.
A North Carolina teenager, Moises Ponce Mendoza, died Aug. 31 after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain infection known as PAM. PAM is extremely uncommon and usually fatal, with health officials (NCDHHS and the CDC) investigating potential sources. Preventive steps include avoiding nasal exposure to warm freshwater and using nose clips, boiled water for nasal rinses, and keeping water out of the nose.
A North Carolina teenager died after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater; the death follows the August death of an 8-year-old Louisiana girl from the same infection. Health officials say infections are extremely rare (fewer than 10 US cases per year) and almost always fatal, with 167 US cases recorded from 1962–2024 and only four survivors. The NC DHHS is coordinating with the CDC to investigate possible sources. Preventive steps include keeping water out of the nose when swimming, avoiding head submersion, and using distilled or boiled water for nasal rinsing.