The amoeba is present in warm freshwater.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (SCDPH) is confirming a case of brain-eating amoeba in South Carolina.
The case of Naegleria fowleri–the scientific term for the amoeba–was identified the week of July 7th but the agency hasn’t said where in the state it was found.
News19 started looking into these claims after reports circulated in local Facebook groups suggesting a child in the Midlands may have died from the infection.
News19 reached out to the Centers for Disease Control, local hospitals, several coroner’s offices, and the state’s environmental department, but no one could confirm a death or a specific location.
SCDPH did confirm the case but said it’s not required to be reported to their agency. “The agency does not track infections from the amoeba and does not provide information about or comment on individual cases, including the person’s condition,” SCDPH officials clarified in a statement.
The amoeba can be found in warm freshwater but occasionally has been detected in tap water. The agency stresses that infections are extremely rare, with fewer than 10 cases a year in the U.S. However, those cases are usually deadly.
Because the amoeba are naturally occurring, there is no way to prevent them in lakes or rivers. The amoeba is only life-threatening if it goes up the nose and to the brain. It is not deadly if ingested through the mouth.
The CDC says early symptoms of the amoeba infection include fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Those cases usually progress rapidly.
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