A North Carolina teenager has died after contracting Naegleria fowleri, a rare and often fatal brain-eating amoeba found in warm freshwater, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). The department confirmed on Tuesday that the teenager died on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.
The teenager, identified in an online fundraiser by his mother, Monica Mendoza, as Moises Ponce Mendoza, first experienced severe headaches. Mendoza stated she took her son to a hospital in Burlington on Aug. 21 for severe symptoms, but they were sent home after a brief examination by a doctor. His condition deteriorated quickly, and he was rushed to the emergency department at the University of North Carolina hospital at 7 a.m. the following day, where doctors diagnosed the infection. Mendoza described the organism as an extremely rare amoeba that can enter through the nose, reach the brain, and cause inflammation, infection, and brain damage
.
The NCDHHS reported last Thursday that the boy was critically ill, noting that the disease usually causes death within approximately five days once symptoms begin. Mendoza later shared on GoFundMe that her son had fallen into a coma while fighting for his life in the hospital.
Understanding Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis
The infection caused by Naegleria fowleri is known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). This single-celled organism destroys brain tissue and causes brain swelling. According to the NCDHHS, the amoeba is not found in saltwater or in pools that are properly maintained and chlorinated.
The organism thrives in warm freshwater, such as rivers, lakes, and ponds, and grows best when water temperatures reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health in Dallas, Texas, told Fox News Digital that stagnant, warm water during hot periods with little rain provides a great breeding ground
for the amoeba.
Medical experts and health officials emphasize that the amoeba does not cause illness if swallowed. Instead, infection occurs when water containing the amoeba is forced up the nose—which can happen during diving, jumping into water, or water-skiing—allowing the organism to travel to the brain. Dr. Kahn warned that once this occurs, the disease is nearly a lethal disease
with a mortality rate close to 100%
.
Symptoms and Rarity of the Infection
Early symptoms of PAM often mimic meningitis.
- Severe headache
- Fever
- Nausea
As the disease progresses, patients may experience a stiff neck, confusion, seizures, disorientation, hallucinations, slurred speech, and eventually a coma. These symptoms can appear a few days after exposure, though it can take up to 12 days. The The Guardian reports that more than 97% of people who contract PAM die. Between 1962 and 2024, there were 167 reported cases in the U.S., with only four survivors.
While the infection is devastating, it is extremely rare, with typically fewer than 10 cases reported annually in the United States. However, scientists warn that the amoeba is expanding from southern states into the Midwest as the climate crisis alters environmental conditions.
Prevention and Safety Measures
State health officials are urging the public to take precautions when entering freshwater, particularly at the end of summer. To reduce the risk of infection, the NCDHHS and health experts recommend the following:
- Avoid jumping or diving into warm freshwater, especially during periods of high water temperatures and low water levels.
- Prevent water from entering the nose by holding the nose shut or using nose clips.
- Keep the head above water in warm freshwater.
- Avoid disturbing sediment in shallow, warm freshwater areas.
- Avoid submerging the head in thermal waters or hot springs.
- Use only boiled or distilled tap water when cleaning nasal passages or rinsing sinuses, as the amoeba has been detected in tap water.
Ongoing Investigations and Related Cases
The NCDHHS is currently coordinating with local health departments and federal partners at the CDC to investigate all possible sources of the North Carolina case. This death follows the recent loss of an 8-year-old girl in Louisiana, Lillian Smart, who died on Aug. 23 after being hospitalized for the same infection. The Louisiana health department indicated she may have been infected while swimming in Lake Claiborne.
North Carolina has seen similar cases in the past, including an infection reported in Cumberland County in 2019 and the 2016 death of a college student after she capsized a raft at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
