Case of brain-eating amoeba reported in South Carolina, officials confirm

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – At least one person in South Carolina recently contracted a rare case of a brain-eating amoeba that occurs naturally in freshwater, state health officials have confirmed.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) said it was made aware of one case of Naegleria fowleri the week of July 7, but did not provide specifics on where it was found in the state.

Cases are not required to be reported to the agency, and a spokesperson said they do not track infections from the amoeba or provide information on individual cases, including a person’s condition.

Naegleria fowleri is a microscopic organism that lives in soil and warm freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, and hot springs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In rare cases, it can be found in poorly maintained swimming pools, splash pads, and tap water.

It is most often contracted when water containing the amoeba enters through a person’s nose while swimming. The amoeba can infect the brain and destroy brain tissue, causing an infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Infections have also occured in a few instances when people used tap water to rinse their sinuses or cleanse their nasal passages, as was the case with a Texas woman who died earlier this summer

A few infections have occurred when people used tap water that contained Naegleria fowleri to rinse their sinuses or cleanse their nasal passages.

The infection cannot, however, be contracted by swallowing water containing the amoeba or be spread to others, according to the CDC.

Though PAM is rare — typically affecting fewer than 10 people a year in the U.S. — it is almost always fatal, experts say. The CDC reported that of the 167 reported cases between 1962 and 2024, only four people have survived.

Early symptoms of the infection usually occur about five days after exposure, but can appear anywhere between one and 12 days after, according to the CDC. They include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

As the infection progresses, health experts say symptoms including stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention, loss of balance, and hallucinations can happen.

Still, South Carolina officials said the risk of infection remains low, and people can further reduce that risk by limiting the amount of water that enters their nose when participating in recreational activities in warm water.