North Carolina Boy Dies from Rare "Brain-Eating" Amoeba After Swimming in Freshwater Pond

Health.com reporting on a North Carolina boy who died from a rare “brain-eating amoeba” after swimming in a freshwater quoted Timothy Murphy, senior associate dean for clinical and translational research at the Jacobs School. "There have been so few cases in the last 10 years, and millions of people swim in warm, freshwater each year," Murphy said. “But if you or your loved one is the one person it happens to once in a blue moon, it doesn't matter how rare it is,” according to the article. That's why Dr. Murphy recommends simply being ‘aware that it can happen.’ The article with Murphy’s comments was also reposted in MSN and other national and international news outlets.