A water feature located in the garden of The Future in Durham was identified as the most likely place where a teenager was exposed to an amoeba that can cause a serious brain infection.
El Futuro is a non-profit community organization specializing in mental health for the Latino community.
The teenager died on August 31, nine days after being hospitalized, according to a report from the North Carolina Communicable Disease Branch released on September 15.
“The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the Durham County Department of Public Health informed El Futuro that tests conducted identified the presence of Naegleria fowleri "in a water fountain located in our green space," El Futuro stated in a written declaration sent to Enlace Latino NC .
“Our hearts go out to the child who lost his life and to his family. We are committed to supporting his family and our community in this devastating loss,” they said.
The investigation had been underway since August 27th.
The NCDHHS reported The case was first reported on August 27. At that time, authorities said the teenager, from the central part of the state, was seriously ill and that they were investigating where he might have been exposed to the amoeba.
The most recent report could not definitively confirm where the exposure occurred. However, evidence and information gathered during the investigation pointed to the water feature located in the garden outside El Futuro's headquarters in this city as the most likely location.
A space where children could play with water
The structure is located in a green space next to the El Futuro clinic in Durham.
On your websiteThe organization explains that in 2018 it installed a water fountain at the site. Two years later, it built a small artificial stream which, according to El Futuro, was designed so that children could play and cool off during the summer.
Therefore, it was not a natural lake or stream, but a structure built as part of the organization's garden.
According to state reportTests detected DNA from the amoeba Naegleria fowleri (scientific name) in water samples taken at El Futuro. Researchers also considered that the teenager had been in contact with the structure during the period in which the exposure could have occurred.
Even so, the authorities stressed that the results do not allow them to confirm that the infection occurred there.
This amoeba is popularly known as the "brain-eating amoeba".
What is this amoeba?
The amoeba can naturally live in warm freshwater, such as in lakes, rivers, and ponds throughout the United States. The amoeba becomes dangerous in water that remains above 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) and for years has been observed almost exclusively during the summer in the southern part of the country.
In very rare cases, it can cause a serious brain infection when water containing the amoeba enters through the nose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A person does not become infected simply by drinking the water. The amoeba must enter through the nose to reach the brain, according to health authorities. The infection is also not transmitted from person to person.
What are the symptoms?
The first symptoms may include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
Later symptoms may include neck stiffness, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. The disease progresses rapidly once symptoms begin.
Symptoms usually begin about five days after exposure, although they can appear between one and 12 days later.
Authorities recommend seeking immediate medical attention if a person suddenly develops a fever, headache, vomiting, or a stiff neck after recently being in warm fresh water.
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A very rare infection
Although the infection is serious, cases are extremely rare.
The CDC recorded 180 cases in the United States between 1937 and 2025. During that period, there were between 0 and 8 cases per year.
Cases occur most frequently during the hottest months. The majority of those recorded between 1937 and 2025 occurred in July and August.
To reduce the risk, authorities recommend avoiding getting warm freshwater up your nose. They also advise against stirring up mud, dirt, or sand at the bottom of shallow, warm water.
Recently, scientists indicated that some cases had been recorded in Maryland, Indiana, and Minnesota, and also in Louisiana.
Last year, a 12-year-old boy in South Carolina also died from an amoeba infection.
Finally, the organization stated that it will continue to fully cooperate with public health authorities. “The water source has remained closed since county officials first contacted us,” they said.
The Future has offices in Durham and Siler City.
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