The infection caused by Naegleria fowleri is known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include severe headaches, fever, nausea, and vomiting, followed by stiff neck, seizures, and coma. The illness often progresses rapidly, causing death within about five days. The CDC states that more than 97% of people who contract PAM die from the infection, and fewer than 10 cases are typically reported in the United States each year, usually during prolonged periods of hot weather when freshwater temperatures rise.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said in a statement on Monday: “NCDHHS has been informed that the teen who developed a rare illness, caused by Naegleria fowleri died on Aug. 31, 2026. We extend our condolences to the family, friends and community impacted by this loss.” The state health department had reported last Thursday that the boy had contracted the illness and described him as “critically ill and receiving medical care.” A Facebook post from a user who identified himself as a close relative of the teen said he had died by Monday.
The teenager was identified as Moises Ponce Mendoza by his mother, Monica Mendoza, in an online fundraiser. She described her son in Spanish as a “young man full of life currently fighting for his life in the hospital — in a coma,” adding that his illness started with severe headaches. She said she initially took Moises to a Burlington hospital for severe symptoms on August 21, but they were sent home after a doctor briefly examined him. His condition quickly worsened, and Mendoza said she rushed him to the University of North Carolina hospital’s emergency department at 7 a.m. on August 22. Doctors there found he had an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, which she described as “an extremely rare amoeba that can enter through the nose, reach the brain, and cause inflammation, infection, and brain damage.” Pictures posted online showed Moises intubated in a hospital bed and receiving intravenous fluids.
The amoeba is commonly found in warm ponds, lakes, and rivers, NCDHHS said, and is not found in saltwater or in properly maintained and chlorinated pools. The organism is harmless if swallowed but is often deadly if contaminated water enters the nose and reaches the brain, such as while diving, water-skiing, or engaging in similar activities. Health officials advise swimmers to keep their heads above water in warm freshwater, use nose clips or hold their noses shut when entering the water, and avoid diving or jumping in. They also recommend avoiding submerging the head in hot springs or thermal waters and disturbing sediment in shallow, warm freshwater.
In Louisiana, the state health department said Smart may have been infected while swimming in Lake Claiborne. She died eight days after being hospitalized.
Researchers have warned that Naegleria fowleri is being detected in parts of the United States where it has not traditionally been found, with the amoeba appearing to expand from southern states into the Midwest as climate conditions change. “It likes warm surface waters during the summer in the northern latitudes,” Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona microbiologist, told the Guardian in 2022.
The Guardian has contacted Monica Mendoza for additional comment.