SOUTH CAROLINA — The South Carolina Department of Public Health has confirmed a case of a brain-eating amoeba.
Officials say Naegleria fowleri is very rare, but is “nearly always fatal.”
The department reported learning of the case during the week of July 7, but Naegleria fowleri is required to be reported, officials said in a statement to WJCL.
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According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the amoeba infects the brain and destroys brain tissue.
The CDC says that Naegleria fowleri thrives in warm bodies of fresh water.
The South Carolina DPH did not confirm which body of water the case was reported from.
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The CDC says that since 1962, there have been 167 cases reported, and just four of those people have survived.
Typically, fewer than 10 people are infected by the amoeba each year.
In July 2023, a Georgian became infected by Naegleria fowleri and died.
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