In the waning days of summer, two North Carolina teenagers died within days of each other from Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic organism that enters the body through the nose and destroys the brain with near-certain lethality. The rarity of such infections makes their close succession all the more arresting — a reminder that nature harbors dangers invisible to the eye and indifferent to youth. As Labor Day drew swimmers back to warm freshwater lakes and rivers, health officials moved to transform grief into guidance, offering precautions that cannot undo what has been lost but may yet protect
North Carolina teen dies from rare brain-eating amoeba; health officials warn swimmers
Two teenagers died from infection with Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba found in freshwater.