Three People in U.S. Have Died From Naegleria, a Brain Eating Amoeba

Posted on August 17, 2011

Three people have died this summer from Naegleria, a rare brain-eating amoeba that lives in warm water. Most people get it from swimming in lakes in the summer. The amoeba is extremely rare and kills just a few people a year. The CDC has an information page about the amoeba here. People rarely get the amoeba, but those that do usually die.

A 16-year-old Brevard County girl died from the amoeba after swimming in a branch of the St. Johns River. A Richmond, Virginia boy also died from the amoeba - the first Virginia case since 1969. Take a look:

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