Advertisement Brain-eating amoeba suspected in teen's death after visiting Charlotte Whitewater Center 18-year-old died on Father's Day, minister says Share Shares Copy Link Copy

An Ohio resident died from what is believed to be an amoebic infection after visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said Wednesday. Click for DHEC info on amoeba for South Carolina residentsWCMH-TV in Columbus reported that the teen has been identified as an 18-year-old from Westerville, Ohio. The Columbus station said Jim Wilson, the teen's pastor at Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church, said victim was part of his church’s youth music ministry group. 10tv.com identified the teen as Lauren Seitz.She died on Father's Day. Wilson told NBC4 that a group of 32 students traveled from Ohio to West Virginia and North Carolina to sing at churches and nursing homes.“They had one day of recreation where they stopped at the U.S. Whitewater Center and went whitewater rafting, and they had a grand day,” Wilson said.Wilson said that was the only place the group visited where there was water.The Mecklenburg County Health Department, CDC, Ohio Department of Public Health, Franklin County Public Health Department, U.S. National White Water Center and the North Carolina Division of Public Health are assisting in the investigation. Dr. Marcus Plescia with the Mecklenburg County Health Department held a news conference Wednesday morning. To watch the entire news conference, click here. He was asked if the U.S. Whitewater Center was safe."We think the Whitewater Center is as safe as any body of open water," Plescia said. He said the center has a sophisticated treatment system for the water that is both chlorinated and treated with UV radiation. "The suspected cause of death was attributed to primary amebic meningoencephalitis, an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a one-celled organism that does not cause illness if swallowed, but can be fatal if forced up the nose," NCDHHS said. Amoebas are naturally present in warm lakes during the summer, the NCDHHS said. NCHHS recommends the following precautions when in warmer areas where the infection has been more common:Limit the amount of water going up your nose. Hold your nose shut, use nose clips, or keep your head above water when taking part in warm freshwater-related activities.Avoid water-related activities in warm freshwater during periods of high water temperatures and low water levels.Avoid digging in, or stirring up, the sediment while taking part in water-related activities in shallow, warm freshwater areas.WBTV, WCMH-TV, 10tv.com contributed to this article.