Teen Battles Rare Brain-Eating Amoeba | Tampa News

A North Carolina teen is fighting for their life after contracting the rare, deadly brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri — a microscopic invader that lurks in warm freshwater and races to the brain through the nose. Symptoms strike fast: severe headaches, fever, vomiting, stiff neck, seizures — often ending in coma within days. Experts are still investigating how the teen was exposed, but the usual route involves diving or jumping into contaminated lakes or rivers. Though cases are extremely rare, this amoeba thrives in warm water nationwide, and there’s no way to eliminate it from natural bodies of water. CDC records show only a handful of survivors since 1962 — a chilling reminder of its lethal speed. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b7fee6b21ddaec27