Teen Who Died From Brain-Eating Amoeba Likely Infected From Community Center Water Feature: Officials

Discretion advised: This story involves the death of a minor.

A North Carolina teenager who died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri was likely infected from a water feature at a community center, according to state and local health officials.

How the Infection Occurred

Investigators determined that on August 13, the teen had contact — including splashing water on his face — with a water feature in the garden of a community-based mental health care center, according to a report from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). The report stated: "No other potential sources of exposure were identified," pointing investigators specifically to that single incident.

The Timeline of the Illness

The teenager was admitted to the hospital on August 22 and died on August 31. NCDHHS said at the time that it was working with federal and local partners to investigate all possible sources of the infection, a process that ultimately led investigators to the community center's garden fountain.

What Naegleria Fowleri Is

Naegleria fowleri, also known as the cause of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), is a single-celled organism found in warm freshwater environments, including ponds, lakes, and rivers, and grows best in hotter water conditions. NCDHHS explained the specific mechanism of infection: "The amoeba does not cause illness if swallowed but can be fatal if water with the amoeba in it is forced up the nose into the brain." Symptoms typically begin with severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and fever, with later symptoms progressing to a stiff neck, seizures, and coma.

The Community Center's Response

The mental health care center where the exposure occurred released a statement following the teen's death: "Our hearts are broken for the young boy who lost his life and for his family. We are committed to supporting his family and our community through this devastating loss. We will continue to fully cooperate with public health officials."

The Water Feature Has Been Closed

According to county officials, the water feature has been closed since August 28, when testing for Naegleria fowleri first began at the site — meaning the facility was already shut down for testing purposes before the teen's death was even confirmed.

How Rare This Infection Actually Is

Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely uncommon: the United States typically sees fewer than 10 cases each year, and the infection is almost universally fatal once symptoms begin, given how quickly it progresses and how difficult it is to treat.

Not North Carolina's First Encounter With This Threat

This isn't the first time North Carolina has confronted a Naegleria fowleri fatality tied to a recreational water source. In 2016, an 18-year-old woman from Ohio died after being exposed to the amoeba while whitewater rafting at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte. In that earlier case, the CDC found the facility's chlorination and filtration systems were inadequate, contributing to conditions that allowed the amoeba to thrive in the recreational water.

What Officials Recommend

Health officials generally advise that the risk of Naegleria fowleri infection can be reduced by avoiding submerging the head or getting water up the nose in warm freshwater environments, using nose clips when swimming or engaging in water activities in warm freshwater, and keeping ornamental water features and fountains properly maintained and treated, particularly during warmer months when the amoeba is most likely to proliferate.

What's Next

With the water feature closed and testing underway since late August, further updates are expected as officials complete their investigation into how the amoeba came to be present in the fountain. For continuing coverage, see the full ABC News report.