South Carolina Swimmer Dies from Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba

A South Carolina resident has died after contracting a rare and nearly always fatal infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Health officials believe the individual came into contact with the amoeba at Lake Murray during the week of July 7. The amoeba, which thrives in warm freshwater, enters the body through the nose and attacks the brain, leading to primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Although fewer than ten cases are reported annually in the U.S., the survival rate is alarmingly low.

Despite the fatal outcome, state health officials emphasize the rarity of such infections and assure the public that recreational freshwater activities remain generally safe. South Carolina does not currently test freshwater forNaegleria fowleri, and residents are advised to assume its presence in warm lakes and rivers. As climate patterns shift and freshwater temperatures rise, the case raises an unsettling question: Are rare infections like this becoming less rare — and are we prepared for the consequences?

South Carolina Swimmer Dies from Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba  was originally published on theblockcharlotte.com