Durham water feature found as likely source of ‘brain-eating’ amoeba infection that killed teen
Health officials in North Carolina have identified a water feature at a Durham nonprofit as the likely source of a rare 'brain-eating' amoeba infection that killed a teenager. The site has been closed for testing after DNA evidence was found.
Why it matters
Highlights public health risks associated with recreational water features and the importance of environmental safety monitoring.
An investigation into a teen's death from a "brain-eating" amoeba points to a water feature in Durham as the likely point of exposure.
While the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services cannot conclusively determine where the teen was exposed, a state investigation identified a water feature at El Futuro as "the most likely source" of the infection.
"While this investigation does not allow us to conclusively determine the location of exposure, the epidemiologic, laboratory, and environmental findings suggest that the El Futuro water feature was the most likely source," an NCDHHS report read.
El Futuro is a nonprofit mental health organization that supports Latino families. It has a clinic on Chapel Hill Road in Durham.
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