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North Carolina teen critically ill after contracting infection from brain-eating amoeba
Summary by The Waco Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: Scripps News Group , as published by KXXV (ABC 25) News
· August 28, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: KXXV (ABC 25) News · view original
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Summary created by The Waco Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Scripps News Group, as published by KXXV (ABC 25) News Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 28, 2026 Indexed here Aug 28, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key points Further information about this case can be found through official health channels, which also provide updates on other health topics, including COVID-19 vaccinations. A rare brain-eating amoeba has infected a teenager, causing a critical illness.
A rare brain-eating amoeba has infected a teenager, causing a critical illness. The infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri, which is found in warm freshwater bodies. This amoeba can be present in ponds, lakes, and rivers, but not in saltwater or chlorinated pools.
The infected teen is receiving medical care, and the source of the infection is under investigation. To respect the family's privacy, health officials have chosen not to release additional details about the teen.
Further information about this case can be found through official health channels, which also provide updates on other health topics, including COVID-19 vaccinations.
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KXXV (ABC 25) News reported and published this story. The Waco selected it, summarised the key facts above, and links to the original. We did not report this story and we added no reporting of our own to it.
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For the complete original report, visit KXXV (ABC 25) News . Have a tip or correction? Contact the editor .
Category: News ·
Published: August 28, 2026 ·
Source: KXXV (ABC 25) News ·
Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A rare brain-eating amoeba has infected a teenager, causing a critical illness. The infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri, which is found in warm freshwater bodies. This amoeba can be present in…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 28, 2026 by KXXV (ABC 25) News and curated for The Waco readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Scripps News Group at KXXV (ABC 25) News. To learn more about how The Waco selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more News coverage from The Waco, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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