Teenager dies after being infected with deadly brain-eating amoeba while whitewater rafting
Lauren Seitz, 18, is thought to have contracted the deadly infection after getting water up her nose when her raft overturned
A teenager died after she was infected with a deadly brain eating amoeba while whitewater rafting.
Lauren Seitz, 18, from Westerville, in North Carolina, in the US, fell ill after enjoying a day with friends at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, US.
Traces of the amoeba which killed Lauren - known as Naegleria fowleri - were found in 11 samples taken from the water at the facility.
Lauren, of Westerville, North Carolina, died of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
The tests were carried out by the Center for Disease and Prevention.
Dr Jennifer Cope, from the CDC, said the tests showed “significant” levels of the amoeba.
Although Naegleria fowleri can be found in warm freshwater, it has the potential to cause a PAM infection, which is almost always fatal.
It is very rare – only 35 cases have been reported in the last 10 years.
The infection can be caught when contaminated water enters the nose and it can travel to the brain.
Lauren visited the center on June 8 and died on June 19.
The center now plans to drain the water from its whitewater channels, dry them out and clean all the concrete and rock.
It is also going to be testing the wells and the city water supply for the amoeba.
The facility has also suspended its rafting and whitewater rafting, but is continuing with other activities.
In a statement is said it was working with the CDC, and other health professionals to decide on the quality measures to minimise risk from the amoeba.