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Fox News
10 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Death confirmed from rare and deadly 'brain-eating amoeba' in southern lake
A pediatric death from a "brain-eating amoeba" has been reported in South Carolina, according to health officials. Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia publicly confirmed the death on July 22, according to a statement from the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) sent to Fox News Digital. The patient died after exposure to Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that causes a life-threatening brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). FOUR PEOPLE DEAD IN FLORIDA FROM FLESH-EATING BACTERIA FOUND IN COASTAL WATERS "The July 2025 exposure to the organism Naegleria fowleri likely occurred at Lake Murray, but we cannot be completely certain, as this organism occurs naturally and is present in many warm water lakes, rivers and streams," the South Carolina DPH told Dox News Digital. "Water activities like swimming or diving in warm freshwater areas, such as lakes and rivers, may increase the risk of exposure and infection." Naegleria fowleri can be a risk when swimming in fresh water. The amoeba is most active in the months that the water temperature stays above 77F – July, August and September, the health official said. Infection in humans is very rare, as this is the first case of Naegleria fowleri in South Carolina since 2016. There is no increased risk to the public, as Naegleria fowleri is not transmissible person to person, according to the statement. DANGEROUS FUNGUS COULD SPREAD TO PARTS OF US, RESEARCHERS CLAIM "Historically, one infection does not increase the chances that another will occur in the same body of water." Fox News Digital previously spoke with Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer and infectious disease specialist for Trinity Health in Michigan, about the risks of infection. "The risk of brain-eating amoeba is very low," she said. "Fewer than 10 people in the U.S. every year get infected — but unfortunately, most cases are fatal. There are only a handful of survivors of known cases." The death rate for Naegleria fowleri exceeds 97%, per the CDC. Warning signs to recognize The initial symptoms of PAM usually begin about five days after exposure, but they can be noticed sooner. Early signs usually include headache , nausea, fever and/or vomiting, the CDC's website states. As the infection progresses, people may experience confusion, stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and coma. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "People usually start to feel ill one to 12 days after water exposure," Lundstrom said. "Early symptoms should prompt a medical evaluation, as they are also signs of bacterial meningitis ." Death can occur anywhere between one and 18 days of infection, at an average of five days. Prevention of infection To prevent potentially fatal infections, South Carolina health officials said it's important to know how and when exposure could be dangerous. "How exposure occurs is when water forcefully enters the nose," the officials told Fox News Digital. "To reduce the risk of infection from Naegleria fowleri, hold your nose shut, use nose clips, or keep your head above water, and avoid jumping or diving into fresh water." Lundstrom reiterated that it's best to avoid immersing your head in the water when swimming in summer. "Infection occurs when water harboring the amoeba goes up a person's nose, usually during swimming," she previously told Fox News Digital. "It is not known why some people get infected and others, even swimming companions, do not." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Drinking contaminated water does not present a risk, and the infection does not spread from one person to another, Lundstrom added. Because the amoeba is found in soil, the CDC also recommends avoiding stirring up the sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers. Treatment of brain-eating amoebas When a patient has been diagnosed with a brain-eating amoeba, treatment usually includes a variety of antifungal medications , as well as antibiotics like rifampin and azithromycin, according to Lundstrom. Miltefosine, a newer antifungal drug, has been shown to kill Nagleria fowleri in laboratory tests and was used to treat some surviving patients, the CDC states on its website. "However, the effect of all of these drugs on actual infected people is unknown due to the high fatality rate," Lundstrom noted. Those who experience sudden headache, fever, stiff neck or vomiting — especially if they have recently been swimming in warm freshwater — should seek immediate medical attention , the CDC recommends. For more Health articles, visit Despite the infection's high fatality rate, Lundstrom emphasized the rarity of cases. "Millions of people enjoy swimming every summer, but only a few become infected," she said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Brain-eating amoeba case in the US: The first symptoms you should never ignore
A recent case out of South Carolina has once again put the spotlight on a terrifying microscopic killer: the brain-eating amoeba. According to health officials, a child died after being infected with Naegleria fowleri—the rare but deadly organism that thrives in warm freshwater like lakes, rivers, and hot springs. The victim reportedly came into contact with the amoeba while swimming in a local lake during the sweltering summer heat. Doctors confirmed it as Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)—a brain infection that's almost always fatal. Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia publicly confirmed the death on July 22, according to a statement from the South Carolina Department of Public Health DPH, Fox News Digital confirmed. Naegleria fowleri doesn't actually 'eat brains' in the zombie sense. What it does is sneak up the nose when water gets forced up there (think diving, splashing, or improperly cleaned neti pots). From there, it travels along the olfactory nerve into the brain, destroying tissue as it goes. The numbers aren't comforting: According to the CDC, only four people in the US have survived out of more than 150 documented infections since 1962. Brain eating amoeba: Early symptoms you have to take seriously Here's the frustrating part: the initial signs of PAM look a lot like a regular viral illness. That's what makes this thing so dangerous—it hides in plain sight. The first symptoms usually appear 1 to 12 days after exposure, and may include: Severe headache (especially frontal lobe or behind the eyes) Fever Nausea and vomiting Stiff neck Loss of balance Sensitivity to light Confusion or changes in behavior If left untreated, things escalate fast—think hallucinations, seizures, and coma. Once it reaches that stage, survival is extremely rare. Knowing how to avoid Naegleria fowleri is key: Don't force water up your nose—this includes jumping or diving into freshwater bodies. Use nose clips if you're going to swim in warm freshwater. Avoid disturbing the sediment in shallow, warm lakes (the amoeba loves to hide in there). Never use tap water for neti pots or nasal rinses unless it's been boiled, distilled, or sterilized. So go ahead, enjoy your summer. But if you've been in warm freshwater and suddenly develop a splitting headache or confusion, don't try to tough it out. Get medical help. Fast.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Death confirmed from rare and deadly 'brain-eating amoeba' in southern lake
A pediatric death from a "brain-eating amoeba" has been reported in South Carolina, according to health officials. Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia publicly confirmed the death on July 22, according to a statement from the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) sent to Fox News Digital. The patient died after exposure to Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that causes a life-threatening brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). "The July 2025 exposure to the organism Naegleria fowleri likely occurred at Lake Murray, but we cannot be completely certain, as this organism occurs naturally and is present in many warm water lakes, rivers and streams," the South Carolina DPH told Dox News Digital. "Water activities like swimming or diving in warm freshwater areas, such as lakes and rivers, may increase the risk of exposure and infection." Naegleria fowleri can be a risk when swimming in fresh water. The amoeba is most active in the months that the water temperature stays above 77F – July, August and September, the health official said. Infection in humans is very rare, as this is the first case of Naegleria fowleri in South Carolina since 2016. There is no increased risk to the public, as Naegleria fowleri is not transmissible person to person, according to the statement. "Historically, one infection does not increase the chances that another will occur in the same body of water." Fox News Digital previously spoke with Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer and infectious disease specialist for Trinity Health in Michigan, about the risks of infection. "The risk of brain-eating amoeba is very low," she said. "Fewer than 10 people in the U.S. every year get infected — but unfortunately, most cases are fatal. There are only a handful of survivors of known cases." The death rate for Naegleria fowleri exceeds 97%, per the CDC. The initial symptoms of PAM usually begin about five days after exposure, but they can be noticed sooner. Early signs usually include headache, nausea, fever and/or vomiting, the CDC's website states. As the infection progresses, people may experience confusion, stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and coma. "People usually start to feel ill one to 12 days after water exposure," Lundstrom said. "Early symptoms should prompt a medical evaluation, as they are also signs of bacterial meningitis." Death can occur anywhere between one and 18 days of infection, at an average of five days. To prevent potentially fatal infections, South Carolina health officials said it's important to know how and when exposure could be dangerous. "How exposure occurs is when water forcefully enters the nose," the officials told Fox News Digital. "To reduce the risk of infection from Naegleria fowleri, hold your nose shut, use nose clips, or keep your head above water, and avoid jumping or diving into fresh water." Lundstrom reiterated that it's best to avoid immersing your head in the water when swimming in summer. "Infection occurs when water harboring the amoeba goes up a person's nose, usually during swimming," she previously told Fox News Digital. "It is not known why some people get infected and others, even swimming companions, do not." Drinking contaminated water does not present a risk, and the infection does not spread from one person to another, Lundstrom added. Because the amoeba is found in soil, the CDC also recommends avoiding stirring up the sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers. When a patient has been diagnosed with a brain-eating amoeba, treatment usually includes a variety of antifungal medications, as well as antibiotics like rifampin and azithromycin, according to Lundstrom. Miltefosine, a newer antifungal drug, has been shown to kill Nagleria fowleri in laboratory tests and was used to treat some surviving patients, the CDC states on its website. "However, the effect of all of these drugs on actual infected people is unknown due to the high fatality rate," Lundstrom noted. Those who experience sudden headache, fever, stiff neck or vomiting — especially if they have recently been swimming in warm freshwater — should seek immediate medical attention, the CDC recommends. For more Health articles, visit Despite the infection's high fatality rate, Lundstrom emphasized the rarity of cases. "Millions of people enjoy swimming every summer, but only a few become infected," she said.
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The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Child dies from brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina
A pediatric patient in a South Carolina hospital has died from a rare brain-eating amoeba. The Prisma Health Children's Hospital patient recently died after contracting Naegleria fowleri, which infects the brain and destroys tissue, Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician Anna Kathryn Burch said Tuesday. The hospital declined to share more details about the patient, and officials have not said where the infection occurred. State authorities say there is no broader risk to the public. A case of Naegleria fowleri was confirmed in South Carolina during the week of July 7, according to the state's Department of Public Health. There have been only 167 reported cases of the infection in the US between 1962 and 2024, the CDC reports. However, just four people have survived the infection. The CDC does not track infections from the amoeba, nor does it provide information about or comment on individual cases, DPS told WIS in a statement. Naegleria fowleri naturally lives in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and poorly maintained or unchlorinated pools. It thrives in temperatures between 80 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit and is more prevalent in the warmer months, especially in southern states. People become infected when contaminated water enters the body through the nose, typically while swimming or diving in warm freshwater. Once in the nose, the amoeba travels to the brain, where it causes a severe and often fatal brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Naegleria fowleri cannot infect a person if the water is swallowed, and it does not spread from person to person. This isn't the first death involving Naegleria fowleri this year. In May, a previously-healthy 71-year-old woman from Texas died from an infection caused by the amoeba after using tap water from her RV in a nasal irrigation device. Infection is extremely rare otherwise - but it is almost always fatal. Symptoms usually begin within one to 12 days of exposure and may include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures, and altered mental state. To reduce risk, experts advise avoiding freshwater activities during high temperatures, using nose clips, and avoiding putting your head underwater in warm freshwater.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Patient dies of brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina, hospital confirms
A patient in a South Carolina children's hospital has died of a brain-eating amoeba, according to the facility. In a news briefing Tuesday, Prisma Health Children's Hospital-Midlands confirmed the patient died of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, also known as PAM, a rare but often fatal brain infection caused by the Naegleria fowleri organism. The hospital did not share any more details about the patient or where they became infected, but added this is the only case reported in the state this year. In the briefing, Dr. Anna-Kathryn Burch, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the hospital, said these infections are "very devastating," with the vast majority of cases in the United States ending in death. "Greater than 97% of cases that have occurred since the '60s have been fatal," she said. Burch explained the infections occur when forceful water gets up the nose and is able to cross into the brain. This can happen during recreational water activities in warm freshwater lakes, rivers and hot springs, where the amoeba thrives. To reduce your risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests holding your nose or wearing a nose clip if you are jumping or diving into freshwater or keeping your head above water in hot springs. You cannot get a Naegleria fowleri infection from swallowing contaminated water or from someone else who is infected. This isn't the first death caused by Naegleria fowleri in the U.S. this year. A Texas woman died from an infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba after using tap water from her RV in a nasal irrigation device, health officials reported in May. The previously healthy 71-year-old developed severe symptoms, including fever, headache and altered mental status, within four days after the nasal irrigation rinse, the CDC case report said. Despite medical treatment for a suspected PAM infection, she developed seizures and died eight days after the symptoms began.
