North Carolina Teen Who Died From Brain-Eating Amoeba Was Likely Infected at Community Center
State investigators linked the infection to a recirculating water feature after testing found Naegleria fowleri DNA and visible algae, officials said.
- A North Carolina investigation identified a water feature at El Futuro, a community-based mental health care center in Durham, as the likely source of the Naegleria fowleri infection that killed 17-year-old Moises Ponce Mendoza in August.
- State health officials believe Mendoza contracted the amoeba on August 13 while visiting El Futuro, where he reportedly splashed water from the feature onto his face.
- Mendoza visited an emergency room on August 21 with severe headaches and was admitted to the hospital the following day; he died on August 31, four days after officials reported he was critically ill.
- The Durham County Health Department advised El Futuro to close the feature on August 28, and subsequent testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the presence of the amoeba.
- Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare, with fewer than 10 cases reported annually in the United States, yet more than 97% of patients die; health officials advise using nose clips during freshwater activities to prevent exposure.
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Naegleria fowleri, also known as amoeba 'beginners', has been found in temperate freshwaters, including ponds, lakes and rivers. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), micro-organism grows better in warmer waters.
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North Carolina teen who died from brain-eating amoeba was likely infected at community center
Testing shows that the teen who died Aug. 31 likely became infected from a community water feature, the state health department said.
Teen Who Died from Brain-Eating Amoeba Was Likely Infected by Community Center Water Feature, Health Officials Say
The teenager, named by his family as 17-year-old Moises Ponce Mendoza, visited the North Carolina center more than two weeks before his death on Monday, Aug. 31An outside area at El Futuro, where the water feature was locatedCredit: WRAL/YoutubeNEED TO KNOWA North Carolina teenager who died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba is believed to have caught it from a water feature at a community centerThe teen, named by his family as 17-year-old …
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